bdrmm - Arts Centre, Norwich, 16/3/2024

by Nige Nudds

published: 4 / 5 / 2024

Acclaimed shoegaze outfit bdrmm are on thunderous form at the Arts Centre, Norwich to plug their recent LP I' Don’t Know'. Nigl Nudds reviews and photographs.

Article

bdrmm (Bedroom) arrive in Norwich near the end of a relentless tour of the UK promoting their debut album ‘Bedroom’ and recent release ‘I Don’t Know’, issued by Mogwai’s Rock Action label. The outfit draw their influences not only from shoegaze but also elements of ambient, trip hop, slowcore, and even prog. Kicking off the evening is DEK (aka dreamenglishkid), an instrumental electronic/guitar duo with an added drummer for much more ballast. Their set proves enjoyable and really seem to connect with the audience with their fixated gaze and hypnotic soundscape. Headliners bdrmm have Massive Attack’s Teardrop as their intro, a very welcome move. They start “quietly” with four songs from the newest album. ‘Alps’ proves the quietest and warms the crowd with an ambient soundwash before the Peter Hook-esque bass of ‘Be Careful’. ‘It's Just a Bit of Blood’ starts quiet but ends in a wall of guitars signalling the show is now in full swing. More of the debut album creeps into the set and at this point the band are clearly enjoying themselves, grinning at each other a lot! Four tracks in a row from their debut album has the crowd on side, the brilliant pairing of ‘Happy’ and ‘(un)Happy’ a highlight, the band sounding very pure and tight. The guitars and whole sound in general becomes louder and louder until the ultimate highlight of ‘Port’. The sheer power of the song has the (almost) sold out audience really moving, supplying a thunderous conclusion to the set. bdrmm are no ordinary shoegaze band and as they demonstrate tonight there is far more to them, with added experimental tweaks and sonic gear shifts that puts them head and shoulders above many of their counterparts.