Sometimes things in small packages hit in an unexpected way. It seemed somewhat incongruous that Revivalry were squeezed into a Tramlines fringe event in a downtown boozer. They make a chaotic noise that begs for space to fill. Plus they are gearing up for the latest round of much larger venues. But on this night it fell into place perfectly.
With the bar filled to the rafters, Revivalry brought their teenage fury and arch humour to the Tramlines fringe and whipped those in attendance into something approaching a frenzy. Their songs are tales of life in a coastal town that has seen better days (sorry Grimsby,) seen through the eyes of the latest generation of disaffected youth. Faded glamour mixes with youthful enthusiasm. Time can forget towns but their heart beats on.
The parallels with the early years of Nirvana are stark. A power-rock trio pummelling their audience into willing submission. But where those teenagers from Aberdeen, Washington, were bleak outcasts from the hedonistic world of the late 1980s, Revivalry pick up the reverse banner. In a world that seems headed to hell in a handcart, they rebel by taking hedonistic enterprise as their call to arms. Party while the world burns. Tales of drunken teenage gatherings mingle with a cast of eccentric characters that bounce across searing power chords and thunderous beats. The protagonist in Two Sips hasn’t noticed he has sick down his shirt but hopes he might still get lucky at the end of the night. Or maybe end up in a punch up. One of the two. This is Nirvana without the nihilism.
And if all the world is a stage then every inch of the venue gets reshaped into a space to unleash their next aural onslaught. Front man Josh Corfield seems intent to take his life in his hands (well maybe just his well being) as he clambers across the tables of startled drinkers, clinging onto the rafters as he belts out Kick Off, while worried looking roadies scramble to keep cables and equipment from entangling an audience that have long since given into the party.
Back at base guitarist Ben calmly struts the temporarily empty space, not that there was much, and drummer Lewis beats the skins with a whirling fury that has to be seen to be believed.
Then comes the tour de force that is Blue Underground. Taking an acoustic break to the extreme. Amplification is dropped as they wander like troubadours through the now adoring crowd. Singing a tale of hopes and dreams. Then… Then… Well you’ll have to see it for yourself. Spoilers and all that.
There isn’t much time to see Revivalry in venues this small. This is too big to hang around. If you weren’t there then one day you will pretend that you were.
Underneath the pavement lies the beach.
We were a bit late posting this review and since that gig, guitarist Ben has stepped back from the band to focus on his university studies. After a line-up shuffle, Revivalry release their new EP Static Youth on vinyl and streaming platforms on 8 October 2026 followed by a UK tour taking in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield and Manchester.
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