Spirited and sassy, Welsh rockers Chroma are back with their latest single Head in Transit. Since hearing the powerhouse that is Girls Talk, I have eagerly anticipated and devoured each single released. Head in Transit has certainly not disappointed, in fact I am yearning for more, as my adoration of this band only grows.
Filled with as much fire as I expected. The single begins with a shredding guitar riff, before powerful vocals from front woman Katie Hall scorch their way through. Embodied with all of the richness of her glorious Welsh accent, Katie projects an impressive vocal range, at every possible altitude. Lullaby softness quickly breaks into furious, heartfelt vocals. Screaming through with as much passion as fans had longed for.
Unapologetically loud, Chroma have such a way of clashing together rampant guitars with gorgeous pragmatic vocals. Energetic, with just the right amount of chaos thrown in for good measure. Lead vocalist Katie is surely set to become a fiercely talented icon of female-fronted rock, for the next generation.
Even more admirably so, what really gives Head in Transit the most clout, is the deeply emotional message it conveys. Having written from her own personal experience, Katie has shared in an open letter that the context of Head in Transit surrounds a very poignant time in her life, when she worked in a Call Centre. Emotional phone calls, difficulties of work pressure, cruel bosses, and various other aspects all culminated to have a detrimental impact on her mental health.
In our current time of crisis, Katie has shared Head in Transit in the hopes it will urge people to be more empathetic towards those who are continuing to work hard, ultimately to help us. Treating these individuals as though they are nothing more than just cogs in a machine, is selfish and wrong.
Head in Transit showcases Chroma in all their glory. I applaud Katie for having the courage to share this deeply personal track.
It is undeniable that musically, Head in Transit is brilliant; vocally sublime, rooted and charged by heavy, ‘rock n’ roll’ instrument playing. However, it is ultimately the moving lyrics and fundamental message behind the track that have resonated with me, and I hope others, the most.
Head in Transit is available to stream on all platforms now
Is it fair to call this a gig review? After last night’s show, I’d say it’s more a declaration of love.
Last night, Clwb opened its doors to Australia’s phenomenally loud female fronted punk band Amyl and the Sniffers, and by god did they show Cardiff how live music is supposed to be done.
The night began at a steady pace, music boomed over the speakers as Clwb began to fill up. The gig had sold out, and as Amyl’s reputation precedes them, I was ready for a jam packed room, a beer fuelled crowd and an electric atmosphere. I was not disappointed.
I arrived ever so slightly late, as usual, just catching the tail end of first support Ratbags’ performance. The anticipation in the air was apparent; although for the moment, it was calm. The atmosphere began to build as the next band Panic Shack appeared on stage. By this point I had weaved my way through the crowd and was lucky enough to get a space near the stage. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Panic Shack, as I had never heard of them before, but they were fantastic.
It was their persona and fun energy from the moment they walked on stage, that caught my attention straight away. They looked almost fresh out of the 80s with their style; mullets and clothing to boot. They really captured my heart and the crowd’s, particularly by how much you could see they were enjoying being there. Similar in sound to Amyl herself, lead singer Sarah threw her lyrics into the crowd with a mixture of blood stirring vocals, and equally passionate spoken lyrics. With a cheeky play on words, including a song about Lambrini – they made me smile, laugh and dance, all whilst being entranced by their performance. Seriously, if you haven’t seen them before please go and check them out.
After Panic Shack had finished their set, I could feel the wave of people that had filled the room close around behind me. The energy was building, people were excited. Panic Shack had got the crowd ready for what was to come. What had felt like a swirling storm of dispersed chaos before, had turned into an excitable, eager crowd, packed together waiting for Amyl to take the stage. I was in the heart of it.
The crowd went wild as Amyl appeared from the side of the stage. In that moment, I’ll be honest I felt a mixture of excitement and nerves, wondering if I’d bitten off more than I could chew being at the front for this one. Amyl greeted the crowd with a girlish charm and politeness, that contrasted spectacularly with her stage presence as soon as the bass kicked in. Amyl is a powerhouse of female sexuality, raw emotion and spirit. The way she grabbed the attention of a room packed with young and aging rockers was mesmerising. I couldn’t help but be in pure awe of her. Is it bad that I couldn’t even tell you what the first song was now? I was just lost in how brilliantly she commanded the room. Everyone went mad for her, from the very second she took hold of that stage floor, the room swirled and sang, the storm was well and truly back, chaos has taken over Clwb. It was incredible to see.
Her rip-roaring vocals on songs such as I’m Not a Loser and Control were heard early on, and I knew the set would not be anything other than a dream. The band worked harmoniously together, I felt as though the other members were as much in awe of her as we were, as she danced and wrapped herself over the stage. There was a sublime sense of madness from not only Amyl but everyone in the crowd. People were taking the stage and surfing throughout the set. No one was told to get down, nothing felt wrong. There were no rules, the band relished it. The admiration from the crowd was incomparable to that of any I have ever seen before. Losing control in the very best way possible myself; I screamed the lyrics of GFY back to her as she flared her smile and drank in the craziness.
The atmosphere never faltered; the sweat, the smiles. People were captivated. Especially in the moments where Amyl would pour herself off the stage, flailing limbs and energy, honestly it was beautiful to behold. Monsoon Rock and I’ve Got You brought us to the climax. Amongst the swirl of the crowd, I found myself having a moment where I stopped and looked around the room, people were thriving in the chaos. This really was live music at its best. As Mutts Can’t be Muzzled closed the show, an Amyl classic, you could see that nobody wanted this night to end. The crowd swarmed to thank her as she left the stage, arms reached desperately out in gratitude. Amyl had scorched their Australian heat over Cardiff on a cold November night, with what was easily the best live performance I have seen.
Becky and the Bands 
Aww that’s lovely to hear, thanks Becky. I will let you know my thoughts soon too x