Words: Laura Mills
On Saturday 30th November, Shangralas widely anticipated second appearance at Cafe Totem was nothing but sensational from start to finish. The band were supported by two superb acts, Chesterfield’s Alpaca Factory and Dearne Valley area’s HUULEN, who both made the stage their own and got the venue warmed up for the evening ahead.
They kicked off their second set at this venue with a fantastic single, the yet-to-be-released ‘Chasing a Disaster’. A superb choice of an opener it must be said; the crowd were quickly dancing around, bouncing and singing each line as if listening to a classic. In this track, the instrumentals played a significant part, full of electric guitar riffs from Max, the clashing of symbols and beats from Jud, the memorising twang of Brad’s bass accompanied by Dan’s vocals was thoroughly lapped up by the crowd throughout.
Launching into the second track, one evidently loved by all in the venue, their latest single ‘17’ was given what can be described as a warm reception by the crowd. As Dan launched into the first verse each of Cafe Totem’s punters were united, singing each lyric with all their might. The tension had risen, the vigorous smashing of Jud’s drums lead us to the mosh pit – the whole crowd flinging themselves around, smashing and clashing into each other but yet in such a monumental and special way.
In between every track, like their last appearance here, they made sure they connected with their fans throughout in their unique manner; the enticing chords of Brad’s bass and Jud’s drums while the crowd were singing ‘Der der der der der f**king Shangralas!’
Red Stripes spilt, we slowed the tempo down only slightly to drift into ‘Going Nowhere’ – another one of their spectacular singles released earlier this year. As with the previous track, the whole crowd lapped up each single chord and vocal from the boys, only becoming even more united with each track played.
A major moment in the night was the phenomenal cover of Oasis’ ‘Supersonic’. Each single note was played by the boys with precision and ease, Danny’s vocals were on top form and the whole performance showed how comfortable they were on that stage. Not only was this an incredible cover but it brought the band and the fans so much closer together, united in the love of this music, this track, and this unbelievable night.
The set finished on another unreleased track, ‘Leadmill Romance’, and despite the fact that this track isn’t available on any streaming services yet, their loyal fans knew every single line which really shows the commitment of their fanbase. As the last note of ‘Leadmill Romance’ slowly drifted away, we thought the night had come to a close – not quite! A smooth change in tempo due to the heavy beat of Jud’s drums guided us into ‘17’ for the encore. It’s safe to say the crowd were even crazier the second time around!
The sheer determination and hard work these lads have put into making the band what they are today is displayed in shows like this one. If you haven’t had the chance to see these guys yet, get yourselves down to the Leadmill in May – tickets available now!
