Cambridge rockers Mallory Knox took over London’s Borderline to play us a few tracks off their upcoming new record.
Having already tested the waters with their new setup at a handful of shows and festivals last year, this evening’s gig at London’s Borderline was an important landmark as it was the band’s first London headline show as a four-piece. And the beginning of a new era. As new vocalist and bassist Sam Douglas states “It’s been a long time coming but we’re ready to start our next chapter. We’re excited to finally be back in London at The Borderline to mark the start of what’s to come.”
Having just recently officially announced the release of their new self-titled record for August, the band used this opprtunity to play some of those new songs live. Changing band set-ups is never easy and you never know how it will go down with fans, but Mallory Knox made a stellar effort and succeeded with brilliance.
The outfit’s very first release as four-piece, Black Holes, was a fitting start to the night. Followed swiftly by Beggars off their 2013 record Signals. “This is the start of what’s to come, so thank you very much!” Sam Douglas calls out to the sold-out crowd before the band deliver another riff-laden bunch of tracks off their old and new records such as Psycho Killer, Getaway and White Lies. The latter of which was the last song to be recorded for the new album and was released on the day of the Borderline show. So all the more reason to turn up the heat and really and truly dig into those heavy guitar sounds we know and love.
“We played our first sold out London show at the Borderline in 2013” the band say remiscing on the good times had the iconic Soho venue that is set to close its doors later this year after decades of music history made. Ghost In The Mirror and Wake Up follow and we all sing and dance our hearts out because no one likes a music venue closing and what better way to beat the blues than with, well, live music?!
Before announcing their autumn UK tour for September and October (or in the words of Sam “We’re touring again in September and October. It’s not announced yet, but f*ck it!”) the band play the stunning Livewire, which Sam wrote for his girlfriend Lucy for Mallory Knox. And before they close a brilliant rebirth at the Borderline, Mallory Knox take hold of our heartstrings, dancing shoes and vocal chords one last time with the ever epic Better Off Without You, off their 2017 release Wired.
As a four-piece, Mallory Knox are back and brilliantly good as always (if not better) and we for one, sure cannot wait what the future holds in store for this Cambridge rock outfit.
High Fives & Stage Dives 