Music / Reviews
Review: FEET, Exchange – ‘An immense performance’
The band with the greatest and freakiest name have made their return to Bristol.
Coming from Coventry, FEET have two albums – with a third hinted at being on the way either the end of this year or beginning of next, not even the band members themselves are 100 per cent sure – containing a number of songs with comedic undertones.
As the Exchange main room fills with sweaty excited FEET fans, four out of five members of the band enter the stage in front of a huge banner reading “I HEART FEET.”,
The band play an extended intro to their track Changing My Mind Again as frontman George Haverson emerges from the crowd, wearing a red paper wristband along with his business casual shirt-and-tie to blend in with fans.
They continue the opening portion of the show with hits such as Can’t Get In, reminiscent of the catchy sounds of Britpop and the indie music of the early 2000s containing lyrics recounting the events of a night out which end in getting kicked out a taxi and being locked out of the house with no phone or keys.
Haverson performs all his own stunts, turning the stage into his playground as he climbs onto the speakers and leans over the crowd of fans reaching up, shaking his tambourine over everyone like he’s casting a spell. The man looms miles above the crowd like a type of god.
“This is our token ballad song, this is gonna make me sob,” Haverson announces as he pretends to cry to the instrumental of Why Would I Lie, fans waving their arms in the air as the band take a break from their usual chaotic sound.
The calm only lasts for one song as the band go straight into a song about being paranoid camouflaged with comical, catchy lyrics about walking a dog as onlookers question whether the dog is yours or not, simply entitled Dog Walking.
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New, unreleased tracks such as Planet Blue and Odessa are sprinkled throughout the set of fan favourites like Greasy Boy and Good Richard’s Crash Landing.
They are met with an immense fan reaction as if they had been on the setlist for the band’s entire career ,now spanning a decade. Hopefully fans can look forward to hearing these tracks on the band’s hinted upcoming third album.
FEETs music is often described as “quintessentially English” and their smash hit English Weather from debut album What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham perfectly supports that statement, being about the most English topic ever: the weather.
Along with English Weather, Petty Thieving is met with the most enthusiasm from fans. As the band breaks into the chorus a mosh pit taking up half the room opens and a man emerges from the sea of fans, crowd surfing above everyone and colliding with the (now wonky) disco ball.
Closing the show with Chalet 47, guitarist Callum Parker takes over on the main vocals giving Haverson the chance to join in with fans and crowd surf as the pit opens up for one last time.
While in the air, Haverson removes one of his shoes – despite a comment he made earlier on in the evening “My feet are staying firmly in my shoes,” in response to his own question aimed at fans “Do you love feet?”
Following FEET’s departure from the stage, eager fans stand waiting and chanting “FEET! FEET! FEET”.
As the lights come on and the house music starts playing, signalling the end of a perfect evening, fans filter out of the live room to greet the band members at the merch desk and maybe pick up an “I HEART FEET” t-shirt to match the banner displayed on stage.
This immense performance in such a packed out intimate venue proves no room is big enough for FEET.
All photos: Lucia Brown
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