LIVE REVIEW: Cory Wells @ Dead Wax, Birmingham
Nestled in Birmingham’s trendy entertainment district Digbeth, vinyl bar/gig venue Dead Wax is the setting for a night of acoustic emo music headlined by CORY WELLS.
First on the bill is Redditch-based band PROJECT REVISE. Usually a three-piece, this pop-punk band presents a stripped-back acoustic set with just the frontman and drummer. Although the tunes feel fairly generic, the group’s earnest energy gets the night started off on a positive note.
Rating: 7/10
Next up is YOUTH FOUNTAIN aka singer-songwriter Tyler Zanon. Starting as a solo project for Zanon, the act became a full-fledged band with the release of their debut album. Tonight though, Zanon is alone of the stage, delivering his sometimes painfully sincere emo anthems armed with just an acoustic guitar.
His set begins with Rose Colored Glass, a breakup anthem that invites sing-alongs right off the bat. This is followed up with My Mental Health/Century, the exhilarating opener from the sophomore album Keepsakes & Reminders. Zanon pushes his vocals to breaking point on many of the songs, laying bare the raw emotion he pours into his lyrics.
Deadlocked elicits the strongest reaction, as the singer’s soaring vocals carry the endearingly angsty chorus. After a string-related mishap, Zanon borrows the headliner’s guitar for emotional closer Blooms. Although its a slightly subdued end, this set proves what an immensely talented musician Zanon is. Given that this is his first time touring overseas, we can’t wait to see what he can do with a full band behind him.
Rating: 8/10
Soft-spoken singer-songwriter CORY WELLS takes to the stage to close the night, armed with an acoustic guitar, some solid songs, and a whole lot of angst. In contrast to the previous acts’ more raw, punky vocals, Wells’ voice is tender and melodic, offering a much more chill vibe.
Although the label of emo very much applies to CORY WELLS’ catalogue the songs benefit from being written for acoustic guitar. The songs flow together well, with the softer lullaby-like croons leading seamlessly into throat-shredding roars.
Weakness is a highlight, highlighting some of Wells’ most cutting lyrics. End of a Good Thing is a similarly powerful track, tapping into those all-too-familiar feelings of not being good enough to deserve the love of a partner. The pace is slowed by some of the middling tracks from Wells’ debut album, however, revealing the lack of variety in the songwriters’ repertoire.
The songs are intercut with CORY WELLS’ playful asides to the audience, which further adds to the cosy vibes of his acoustic ballads. The set closes with Walk Away, a heart-wrenching ballad that builds to a moving crescendo that engages the entire room. Although Wells’ catalogue is relentlessly melancholy, it feels at home in the soft lighting of this intimate venue and it’s hard to deny that the fans in attendance are positively enraptured by his presence.
Rating: 7/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Birmingham from Sarah Maiden Photography here:
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