The renowned venue of Retro Manchester was taken over by Macclesfield-based band Snowdrop last Friday (20th December) as the final date from their set of back to back headline shows. With such an upbeat and electric gig, Snowdrop have, in my mind, cemented themselves as a band to look out for.
Thanks to the outstanding supporting performances from The First Ones and Carjack Mallone, the underground venue was filled with excited bodies way before Snowdrop even graced the stage. Playing a 10 song set, the band’s electrifying sound had the whole crowd dancing along. I had the privilege to watch them support NicknXmes in November, and it was thrilling to see how much their confidence as a band has developed since then.
Snowdrop’s notable sound is just an eclectic “gathering of genres” sprouting from their differing musical upbringings. Talking about their inspirations, bassist Connor expressed that “any funk artist” continues to influence his musicianship, however the blues influence in Sam’s guitar riffs contrast drummer Dylan’s inspiration from Matt Helders (of Arctic Monkeys). Vocalist Ryley also added that he is quite “melodic based” in his playing and song writing while Sam is more “distortion driven” (seen in his use of distortion pedals throughout many songs, including their latest single Daisy On My Mind).
Like many young bands these days, the boys grew up listening to “Britpop and dad music” which has inspired their own music and performances a lot. However, the 4 piece are still growing and haven’t yet become as finessed and confident as they can be. As quite a prominent indie-rock band, The Royston Club has influenced Snowdrop in several ways, such as their rich guitar riffs and their nonchalant stage presence. With Ryley’s frontman energy similar to that of Tom Faithfull, he smoothly held the crowd and even during the acoustic performance of Not Easy, many were captivated by him. My only criticism of the band is they should introduce more acoustic and slower songs like Not Easy to their gigs, as they show another side of Snowdrop and showcases the band’s diverse talent.
As their set came to a close, Snowdrop ended with Silhouette, their I’m a Liar esque single, and this energetic and lively tune was a favourite among the crowd. In my opinion, Snowdrop need to be on your must see list! From supporting KIDPUNK to a headline show at the same venue in only 6 months is an incredible feat! After such a special night and successful show, the band reflected on their performance and achievements during the past year. “We’ve come so far and we couldn’t be prouder. We gave it everything in such an intimate venue- it felt like the perfect way to wrap up the year.”
Thinking back to our first proper gig at Retro Bar, it’s wild to see how far we’ve come”
Discussing their new EP, the band shared the meaning behind it and their music as a whole. “It’s everything Snowdrop is about: being in touch with our emotions while knowing how to have a good time… we’ve poured ourselves into creating something that feels true to us [and] it’s a mix of styles, designed to stand out and make an impression”.
Even being quite underground and underrated themselves, Snowdrop’s own underrated artists range from The Kairos and Sports Team to The K’s and Wunderhorse. However, some debatable opinions loom over their main overrated artist- Oasis. Overrated or not, inspiration has come from artists like Oasis and they have played a large part in forming Snowdrop’s sound.
All in all, Snowdrop are ones to look out for in the new year and a must see indie band!
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