Rock Regeneration

Feb03

Joe Appleford

on February 3rd, 2023 at 20:32

Bear’s Bar, Bournemouth

During Independent Venue Week, there’s no better way to celebrate the essential role our grassroots venues play in music lovers’ lives than to get down to a local show. I was fortunate enough to venture down to the recently established Bear’s Bar & Venue, which is blessed with the capacity of hosting live music events in both The Bear Cave, a basement venue below the bar, as well as in the bar itself. This evening, the main bar welcomes Joe Appleford for his first show in Bournemouth. Those familiar with him will know of his time as the frontman and bassist of Bad Sign: arguably one of the most underrated outfits on the alternative scene over the past decade. Since embarking on his new solo project, Appleford has released his debut full-length, ‘Dystopian Dreams Utopian Nightmares’ and has performed alongside numerous established touring acts, including recently supporting Holding Absence.

Tonight, he and his band are the only ones to grace the stage, as Gnarlah pulled out on the day of the show. Opening with ‘Dystopian Dreams’, Appleford and his band tease the audience with the enticing, reverb-soaked opening melodies, before tearing into commanding riffs and a pulsating groove. Joe’s impassioned vocals blend perfectly alongside the profound instrumentals that he, Tom Shaw (bass), James Coggin (drums) and Dan Fisher (guitar) provide. If their task was to captivate those in the bar who hadn’t come to the venue for the music, it was certainly mission accomplished after the opening number.

Joe Appleford 1–2–3

Charging through a collection of the finest cuts from the record, the band seamlessly transition into previous single, “Silver Lining”, before the anthemic chorus and razor-sharp shredding of “Leech” threatens to take the roof off of the intimate setting. After a recent run of touring, Appleford certainly has to give everything to reach some of the ambitious vocal pitching on the record, but his ability to belt with grit and emotion comes to the forefront regardless. “The Escapist” offers a welcome dynamic shift from the lively riffs, as its dreamy pre-chorus and memorable tune provide a vital tangent.

Penultimate offering “Aeonian Fever” harks back to opening exchanges through its emphatic riffs and pounding rhythm, married perfectly by Appleford’s soaring vocal display. Finishing with my personal highlight from the album, ‘Green’, Joe spreads his wings and struts triumphantly through the venue with his flying-V like a musical Viking. Those who stumbled upon tonight’s performance will certainly count themselves lucky and be eagerly anticipating his return. With a new record on the horizon, it’s only a matter of time before Joe Appleford is truly making his mark on the alternative scene.