Brighton based rock group The StraightJakkets made their homecoming debut this past Saturday at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth, headlining for Portsmouth based Psych-rock group Sierpinski. Playing such an iconic venue for any up and coming group would be considered an accomplishment and perhaps a metaphorical wink that your career is going to be okay, but considering that the StraightJakkets have only been playing together properly since December I personally found it to be a remarkable feat, enough so that this Brighton-based writer made the journey to catch the action. The gig came at an
exciting time for the group, as they were anxiously awaiting the release of both their debut single Love Her So, and their EP Songs About Death on Bandcamp, which was made available to the public on the sixth of March. The three-piece group is made up of Eddie Wilde on lead guitar, Allie Speed on bass, and new addition Ryan Cooper on drums. It is a common occurrence at StraightJakkets gigs for Eddie and Allie to switch instruments in the midst of a set, giving bassist Allie the opportunity to perform some of his own songs.
Right to Left: Ryan Cooper (Drums), Allie Speed (Bass), Eddie Wilde (Lead Guitar)
Upon entrance to the Wedgewood space, any newcomer to the scene would quickly feel that they didn’t get the memo on the dress code that the diverse audience, made up of 15-50 year-olds of all backgrounds, obviously did: fur coats, leather jackets, thick-black sunglasses to be worn indoors, Afghan coats, denim on denim, and berets. Such uniform is a far-cry from what you're met with when you step out of the Wedgewood space and onto the Portsmouth high-street. I make note of this simply because it is a testament to the audience the StraightJakkets have created for themselves in such a short period of time,
and perhaps have guided into wearing this imaginary dress code. Afterall, the StraightJakkets certainly look the part of a rock group, in a very understated way. So much so that anyone who has seen, but not heard the StraightJakkets would be left thinking, “Please, please be good”. I found that they were not just good, but great, and their devoted and appropriately-dressed audience certainly felt the same. From the beginning of their opening song, Leaving My Old Life Behind, it became clear that the entire gig would be a rhythmic conversation between the lads and the audience.
Throughout their nine-song performance, even the self-proclaimed “slow” ones, the audience seemed to be moving as one organism- pushing, shoving, thrashing, and Sid Vicious-style pogoing all over the place. It’s impossible to describe The StraightJakkets performance style without lazily name dropping, but the energy you feel in the room
whilst they’re performing is that of a more polished early Libertines or Ramones gig. There’s nothing musically sloppy or amateurish in regards to their playing style or technique, which can be accredited to the fact that all three StraightJakkets are students at the WaterBear College of Music in Brighton. It appears that such technical strength has given them the confidence to relax on stage, which is something the audience is incredibly receptive to. The high point of the night was the groups final number, a cover of MC5’s Kick Out the Jams, which has become so much of a tradition at StraightJakket gigs that you’d
think a Rolling Stone had walked out on stage from the audiences’ reaction to the first chord alone. Suddenly the energetic pushing and shoving from before would appear better suited for an opium den, as it quickly transformed energetically into what I can only imagine a spoon would look like in a turned on microwave. This energy was heightened when Eddie briefly joined the audience, resulting in everyone in proximity to the stage rushing to be near him.
Kick Out the Jams dragged out, and the group finished off by holding up their instruments triumphantly, having just played their famous hometown venue.
Allie and Ryan
Eddie, finishing the gig
After such an electric performance, the StraightJakkets don't intend on slowing down anytime soon. Tonight, on the 8th of March, the group will be performing in Brighton at the Prince Albert alongside Insectus and Sierpinski, and the group has already booked a second homecoming gig for the 14th of March at Neu Waves club alongside Hutch and The Mallees. I suggest anyone who has yet to see the StraightJakkets in action keep a close eye out for gigs near them, as this group are quickly becoming the
most exciting band in the southern music scene for 2024.
Photo Credit:
Cover, Fig.3 - Russ Leggatt
Fig.1 - instagram @thestraightjakkets
Fig.2 - Russ Leggatt
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