LIVE REVIEW & GALLERY: The K’s @ The Waterfront, Norwich
Chris Hawkins presents Awesome Friends - At The Waterfront Norwich, 6 September 2024
Upon arriving at the venue, it was a joy to see so many people of all ages queuing up for a Friday night gig. Once I got into the venue, it looked set to be a sold-out event, which was really nice to see, especially considering the earlier starting time. It wasn’t long before the host of the event, BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, entered the stage and welcomed the crowd. This gave an extra special feeling to the night. Having a national DJ host a local event, you just knew you were in for a great night. After a short introduction, Chris kept the crowd entertained by playing classic and current indie tracks. With the crowd in full force singing along, it wasn’t long before Chris Hawkins re-entered the stage and introduced the support act, Crystal Tides.
Crystal Tides
Crystal Tides from Portsmouth made the trip to Norwich, and while I didn’t know much about them, their stage presence felt like that of a headlining act. Every song performed was absolutely banging, with people at the front knowing the words to their songs. It was clear that these lads are destined to be the headlining act at gigs in the future. One of the songs that stuck in my head was the brilliant “Just Friends.” If you haven’t heard of Crystal Tides before and are into catchy indie music, look no further – Crystal Tides are the real deal. Everyone in the crowd wanted more from them. I really hope they release an album soon!
After Crystal Tides exited the stage, Chris Hawkins came back on to speak to the crowd and continued playing some more tracks while everyone waited for the headlining act, The K’s. Every so often, Chris spoke on the microphone and teased the crowd, which was met with a small amount of jeering, especially when he played “Wonderwall.” But even those that jeered still couldn’t resist singing along. After “Wonderwall” finished playing, Chris entered the stage again and introduced the headline act, The K’s.
The K’s
The K’s made the trip from Merseyside to Norwich, and as soon as they entered the stage, the crowd erupted with so much cheering that you thought the Waterfront was going to have its roof blown off. The K’s kicked things off with “Icarus,” taken from their brilliant album *I Wonder If The World Knows?*, which starts like a classical piece of music before swiftly moving into a catchy indie track that got the crowd singing and dancing. The K’s then followed up with “Chancer.” The K’s played a set of 12 songs, and every song – whether it was a heavy indie track or a soft ballad like “Hoping Maybe” – was played to perfection. It was easy to see why The K’s are a headlining act. Other songs played included “Glass Towns,” “Black and Blue,” the brilliant “Hometown,” and “Sarajevo.”
Overall, it was a fantastic night out with not only a great host but also two highly talented bands that help keep the indie genre alive. If you get the chance to see either Crystal Tides or The K’s perform at a gig, I highly recommend that you do so. Whether you're a long-term fan of the genre or a newbie, they are suited for indie fans of all ages.
