The Good Water, The Night Owl, Digbeth - review

It's what the growing fan base, who now follow the Brummie rockers religiously, have come to expect.

And when they are supported by the brilliant Beach For Tiger too, you know you're in for a top night of music, dancing and merriment.

It was their first visit to The Night Owl in Digbeth in Saturday night – and mine too. The cosy venue really added to the occasion. It's perfect for a few hundreds people to dance round, with no huge queues at the bars and a large outside area too. All musts at a rock gig.

First up were Beach For Tiger, a London-based band who had travelled up to support, returning the favour for The Good Water, who had supported them in the capital, at the Notting Hill Arts Club, last month.

And they were very good too, with a sound not unlike The Good Water. It was mellow, funky and almost had a jazzy feel to it at times, with their trumpet player adding a whole new vibe.

They warmed the crowd up very nicely for the Birmingham-based band, which included Rob Clements, from Redditch, on lead vocals and guitar, Tom Fisher, from Yardley Wood, on drums and backing vocals, and Stuart Webb, from Great Barr, on Keyboard and backing vocals.

To say they have honed their sound in recent years is such a huge understatement. Since adding Webb, the three-piece have added so many new dimensions to their material, which just seems to keep getting better and better.

The Sun is a great opener. It stops, it starts, its fast, its slow. It's just a great rock track and I love just looking around to see the expressions on the faces who are seeing them play for the first time when that track drops. Some are literally open-mouthed.

Next up was the whole reason for the evening, Colours. It slows everything down and gives Clements, Fisher and Webb the chance to show how good they can sound when all singing in harmony.

There's still plenty of furious guitar, drums and keys, but it does take everything down a notch, which blended perfectly with the next track, Tell Me What To Do.

That was the band's third single, and the brilliant accompanying video is up for a gong at the Birmingham Music Awards. To me, it just has hit single written all over it. Have a listen online if you get they chance.

Mansaid followed. One of their staples, and another of their singles, which has been around for a good few years, but it gives them all a chance to unleash a bit more – and the lyrics are great, and a bit out there, too.

Another really nice, chilled song is Have You Seen Her Tonight. It's just a nice track where all the instruments blend. From a fan's point of view, it gives you chance to just sit back – so to speak – and take everything in.

And then followed Breadcrumbs, which all about musicianship. I can't tell you how many times I've become lost in that song, dancing away as the music just builds and builds to a huge crescendo.

There are no real lyrics, because it doesn't need them. And then it was on to See Your Light, another of their singles.

It has one of the best choruses I've heard in a long time, with more of those harmonies, which this time give way to a proper, all out, guitar shredding solo by Clements. Nothing beats that.

Annabelle is a new one and Saturday was the first time I'd heard it. It's a much more serene effort I'm sure will grow in popularity

Then it was back to the more psychedelic tracks, with Once Twice Now first up. The build up is what makes that song – and then the band just unleashes everything on to you.

Love is fast becoming one their most-loved songs. When the break comes, it gives the chance to join in – and boy, do they. "Oh, love is coming". It certainly was on Saturday.

Everything Is was the perfect way to end the evening because, as the lyrics go, "everything is falling into time" – and once the music had died down, the fans were able to reflect on another stunning gig.

Hopefully it's onwards and upwards for The Good Water. Next is a return to the Actress & Bishop, where they will be supporting the Tranmsission The Sound Of Joy Division, on May 18. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets are available on The Good Water's Facebook page.

And the day before, the band will be at the Birmingham Music Awards, which are being held at The Mill, in Digbeth.

The band has been nominated in three categories: best indie/alternative band, and best video and best song, both for Tell Me What To Do.

To download the new single Colours, go to Spotify (https://spoti.fi/2U1x8MH), iTunes (https://apple.co/2UmSEuV), Google (https://bit.ly/2HSIXxw) or Amazon (https://amzn.to/2CH7VfL).