Flowers Of Palo Return Home To A Wild Sold Out Show

Becky Timmins

Music journalist and social media manager based in Truro. Usually found at the very front of gigs scribbling notes on her phone.

A wild night that saw a sold-out Cornish Bank host three local bands, Flowers Of Palo, Facepaint, and Factor 50

Remember that feeling of being jostled along in a queue outside a venue of a sold-out show? No, me either (cheers covid). But thanks to a stellar bill of local indie talent at The Cornish Bank on Friday, all tickets had been snapped up in advance, and that feeling of being in on something special was written across the faces of everyone making their way through the doors of Falmouth’s newest and jazziest venue.

The bar is set high by Factor 50, a five piece from Falmouth Uni whose sizeable fan base seem to know every word to their opening track. From the off it’s clear they are no run-of-the-mill boiler-suit clad quintet; theirs is a blistering energy that would give Sports Team a run for their money. Factor 50 hit that sweet spot between post-punk and experimental indie that makes you want to dance rather than roll your eyes – a feat that’s easier said than done on the current post-punk saturated circuit. Their arty edge manifests in smatterings of brass, woodwind and the stalwart cowbell – think Black Country, New Road, but a heck of a lot more fun. Bursts of percussive mastery and guitar-laden euphoria keep the crowd enraptured throughout, and even lead to some well-earned crowd surfing. Definite ones to watch.

Next up are Facepaint, a four-piece equally revered locally and it’s not hard to see why: their psych-laden surf pop is infectious with a capital I. And it sends waves of nicely orchestrated chaos through the crowd, with plentiful jangly guitar hooks and a satisfying depth to the lead singer’s vocals keeping things fresh through the boozy haze.

Top of the bill tonight is Flowers of Palo, a fixture beloved on the Cornwall music circuit and beyond. They possess an ethereal edge thanks to the velveteen vocals of Emma Chamberlain, and they’re quick to take the crowd in their melodic grip tonight. Chamberlain’s tones float on the surface of a rather special strain of iridescent yet heavy indie, driven with energy and power by drummer Josh Wood. It’s a mature sound that feels particularly at home in a cavernous venue like The Cornish Bank, which is bathed in warmth and life long after Flowers of Palo leave the stage tonight.