Words by: Lucy Williamson
Photo by: Izzy Chedzey
With the new year in full swing, a night of stoner doom glory rose to The Cornish Bank as three doom bands took to the grassroots music venue in Falmouth for a night of doom, sludge and noise, hosted by Fally Events.
The venue was filling up for this highly anticipated gig, with two new Falmouth bands and a headliner making their way from Dorset. This was going to be a night of pure noise and energy.
As flashing green and orange lights lit up, and the smoke machine kicked in, the stage was filled with a cloudy haze, setting the scene for the first band to take to the stage…
CandleSnuffer
Opening the night, stoner sludge trio CandleSnuffer took the Cornish Bank by storm with a band formed with renowned names in the Falmouth music scene, for their first gig. Think towering riffs, thunderous drums, roaring basslines and gritty vocals, and you’ll get CandleSnuffer, who we hope to hear more of in the coming months.
Nearing the end of their set, the stage lighting turned completely red before a hue of orange bled through ahead of their final song, where Dan Leadley hopped up on stage to play the synthesiser alongside the band. It felt like witnessing a piece of Falmouth music history with five incredible musicians coming together to create this newly formed doom outfit.
TØKER
Fresh from a week-long band residency at the Cornish Bank, TØKER, featuring Ellie on vocals, Billy on bass, Luke on drums, and Connor on woodwind and guitar, made their debut gig at the venue on Friday night.
As the room darkened, a single flashing light illuminated the audience, leaving the band members cloaked in shadow. The performance opened with a textural sound and an infinite feedback loop, setting the stage for the ultimate TØKER experience.
As the disco ball spun slowly, the lights shifted from a fast flash to a dramatic wash of red across the stage where TØKER launched into their first track, Intro/East Wind. It was clear that this was going to be a set filled with intrigue.
A pulsing snare layered the droning sounds, along with a gradual build-up from the drums and haunting woodwind tones, soon to be joined by a booming bass and siren-like vocals, leading up to their next track, U.A.P., a doom-filled wall of sound with Connor switching to guitar.
With the longer tracks, TØKER took the audience on a journey with each track seamlessly blending into the next, which turned the set into a continuous story and moved the audience in harmony with every beat. They even played a haunting cover of Call Me, before rounding up the musical storytelling with Return The Slab, during which Ellie, with her back to the audience, created an ethereal aura that perfectly encapsulated the band’s dynamic sound.
The set was a true testament to the band’s technical prowess and atmospheric mastery. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing more of TØKER. This is just the beginning.
Dungeön
Making their way to Cornwall from Dorset, Dungeön delivered an immense headline set. Extreme flashing lights filled the room as warped riffs and screaming vocals poured from the stage, accompanied by headbanging, creating the perfect setting for a sweaty mosh pit.
If I were to sum up this set in three words, it would be slow, loud, and relentlessly heavy, okay, maybe that was four, but you know what I mean!
If you have a gig coming up and would be interested in a Whisper review, get in touch!