Dave Hause
Dave Hause and The Mermaid.
Dave Hause and The Mermaid were the second guests for this gig, but, as I have said before, and now backed by a few hundred people I think its safe to say, he always manages to steal the show! I last saw him and The Mermaid support Gogol Bodello earlier in the year. He gave us one helluva show that night, I finished that write up by hoping he came back to Brighton soon. A few months later – and here we are!
This was a Frank Iero gig, and the crowd in the main I guess were there for Frank and as such maybe not an easy crowd for The Mermaid to get on board. Worry not, the guys quickly had the crowd enjoying every note with relish! Great to see some Dave H T’s in the crowd! The Mermaid had followed the delightful Homeless Gospel Choir whose razor sharp lyrics, humour and music had done a pretty good job in warming us up. Up next Dave Hause and The Mermaid!
Scene Sussex: Dave Hause
The Band
Dave and his band delivered a masterclass in how to do it and do it right! People ask for comparisons, and so ok, the closest I can do is kinda like Bryan Adams – back in his Summer Of 69 era. But that really doesn’t cut it, its a rough comparison, and when you actually see Dave and the band play their material live, they really are something very special. That comparison seems to have now jumped across several media outlets, so maybe I was kinda on point with that. These guys are tight, fast when needed and totally on point. They do not waste a second up there. The bass and drums I think dislodged my kidneys by a couple of inches as the sound was so powerful.
The Set
The crowd were eager for some rock and roll and the band got a huge cheer as they took the stage, and Dave came on last giving the crowd a wave and a flash of his smile.
The opener was the divine Divine – oh yes the fuse had been lit and it was time for lift off! Autism and Mermaid were up next. Dave and The Mermaid had quickly got the crowd going with their songs and some between songs chatter, including a poignant chat about his brother Tim, on guitar. Those of us who knew the material lapped it up. A second gig from these guys for me in three months, and those who had seen him earlier in the year – well, we were back for more!
The tempo didn’t stop for a second as more class music was dished out for us to devour. We got With You, Flinch, Jesus up next. Mic stands flew across the stage and the Concorde 2 sound guy had to try and sort it out whilst the band played on! The Mermaid were setting a new high for a live rock music show. These guys need that bigger stage, they are so ready for it and so are the crowds who see him and the band play.
The band, and Dave have a distinct rock/punk sound which is always there, even when the band left the stage leaving Dave with his acoustic guitar. His music flows, the lyrics mean something and his “front man” performance is breathtaking to watch. Put it all together and they they rock!
This fine set, and it was different from when I last saw The Mermaid, was drawing to a close. Dave invited us to raise a middle finger into the air as Dirty Fucker broke the sound barrier! The band and the crowd joined together to create such a huge sound, lots of joining in, middle finger waving and jumping around. Well played Dave and The Mermaid – you nailed it!
A video
A live mixer of clips – sound a bit rough at times – rock n roll!
Dave Hause and The Mermaid did what they set out to do, and with ease. They delivered a blistering set and entertained. I am pretty sure this crowd would have loved more. The crowd were buzzing when they left the stage. Friends in the crowd were knocked out by what they had just seen and heard. Where else could you hear a few hundred people, along with Hause chanting an informal “fuck you” to the current USA administration.
Dave Hause is on the web
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