Paint you a picture - Picture Parlour at the 100 Club

The venue

The 100 Club is a truly iconic venue. A place of Sex Pistols. A place of the Who. A place of Oasis Its influence on the central London music scene is truly unrivalled. And yet, somehow, I’d never been before this fateful night in March.

I had longed for the 100 Club before my rendezvous with Picture Parlour, so when they announced a show in the capital’s premier music venue, I was all over it.

The venue itself feels a surprisingly big despite ultimately being tiny. It is deceptive; you descend from Oxford Street down a narrow stairwell and corridor into a large basement, complete with two bars. It has a long, narrow design, so it is easy to get a prime view of the stage from virtually anywhere (provided you are not situated behind one of the large pillars in front of the stage.

The toilets resemble something of a sticker factory, with everything from My Chemical Romance to Slipknot to Destiny’s Child adorning the walls, cistern, doors and urinal trough. It adds to the character of the place (even though the taps don’t work). The bar is a pretty easy place to navigate the art of collecting a beer and, for £6.10, it is likely to be one of the cheaper establishments in the area.

An extremely helpful image of the sticker situation which every reader was desperate for

The support

Two support acts led the way. Unfortunately, due to a few too many refreshments in Soho’s famous Coffee House pub, the first was missed. I did catch the second - a punky outfit called MyFirstTime. They were very enjoyable, with a Nirvana-like edge to them.

Picture Parlour

Picture Parlour are not a household name yet, but with a charm and swagger, they could find themselves being propelled into the public consciousness soon. With impressive write ups from The Guardian and NME, this Liverpudlian group have accrued a loyal and committed fanbase in their short time as a live act. Fronted by Katherine Parlour, the band uses catchy riffs, New Romantic vibes and witty lyrics to snag you in. Guitarist Ella Risi was the other founding member and the two have real onstage chemistry.

I first discovered them via a Spotify suggestion for their song, Norwegian Wood. Nothing like its Beatles namesake, Norwegian Wood is a true powerhouse with a roaring chorus and surprising solo. Judgement Day, their second single, is a similarly uplifting song about sex during the rapture, apocalypse, judgment day or whatever moniker you wish to give the end of the world.

This setlist is largely unreleased material - unsurprising for a band which has released two singles and a four song LP. However, the future is bright for the Parlour if this set is anything to go by. A slightly more rocky approach seems to be on the horizon and they certainly bring the swagger. The future is bright for these Liverpudlian powerhouses.

With Alex turner like vocals, Parlour herself cuts a transfixing figure on stage. I do suspect that their future success will be largely down to her charisma and stage presence. That is not to take anything away from her bandmates, but she possesses that ‘it factor’ which ultimately sets artists alike on their respective journeys.

This was my second time seeing Picture Parlour, after having seen them in The Windmill in Brixton last year. That show was great, despite being on a Sunday night, but this one was better. The band were tighter, the larger stage allowed more opportunities for Parlour to operate as a swaggering vocalist and, perhaps, more time on the road with minutes under their belt may have proved the difference. I am excited for what the future holds for the next exciting act out of Liverpool.