When I first heard Fickle Friends, I was amazed by how captivated I could be by something so joyful, given as I had previously devoted myself solely to the solemness of Joy Division and The Smiths. However, something about Fickle Friends made me want to bin all of my black clothing and move to a tropical island. 80s inspired yet effortlessly modern, they lit up the dark and dingy Globe theatre in Cardiff with their bright pink lights and exotic palm trees, transporting us, the audience, to a world consisting only of fun.
The opening song was ‘Say No More’, and the screams at the playing of the first couple notes was enough to send the room into a frenzy. ‘Brooklyn’ was next, a song that really solidified the view that they are a unit, and that it is difficult to focus purely on Natti, the lead singer, as every member of the band is completely passionate about their music. This does not make Natti any less of a frontwoman, as her confidence oozes, making the audience more confident in themselves to have fun and not care. This is why, at a Fickle Friends gig, it entirely impossible to hate any song that she sings.
A song that really stands out from the gig as a whole is ‘Hard to Be Myself’, where Natti tells the crows how it is ‘a song for social awkwardness’. It was an extremely relatable experience for a teenage audience, and a gesture for people to no longer feel alone, as they are in an environment with people who share the same issues.
The encore consisted of the songs everyone was panicking that they had not sung yet, which was ‘Hello Hello’ and ‘Swim’. Another thing that perfected this gig was the ability they had to sound identical to how they sound on the radio, yet there was improvisation and prolonged instrumental, which only added to the craziness and passion. ‘Swim’ was a moment of complete awe for the band; Natti tried to teach everyone the chorus, but everyone sung it back to her after hearing only the first note. And with that, everyone’s voices filled the small venue for the whole song.
The mix of popular songs with new ones from their album was perfect, as the crazy moments of energy were broken up with fresh, new sounds for us to focus on and to learn to love. By attending a Fickle Friends gig, you are guaranteed to have fun, regardless of whether it is your scene or not. The ability they have to liven up a room is spectacular, and I really can’t wait to see what they come up with after this.
