POC ROCK in Peckham: Break Fate and Passionflower- Review
With the decreasing of COVID restrictions, in-person gigs are beginning to return. URY’s Q Cummins was fortunate enough to make the most of this last week to attend POC ROCK’s inaugural session in Peckham, featuring band Break Fate and artist Passionflower.
My arrival to the inaugural POC ROCK event was one paved with uncertainty, my planned company having to suddenly drop out (due to the ever faithful NHS track and trace alert system). Yet despite this, it was with anticipation and enthusiasm that I entered Peckham Audio, a small underground venue located down the road from Peckham Rye train station.
The first act of the night was Passionflower. Self-defined as post-emo, Passionflower takes the form of vocalist and guitarist Kyle Richardson-Nickle, who specialises in “Putting The Fun Back In Dysfunction”. Listening to the Passionflower set was an experience likely to stir nostalgia in any ex-emo due to his odes to classic emo sound, made apparent by following covers of emo classics such as MCR’s Helena and Blink-182’s I Miss You. From their original songs, however, a definite highlight for me was Neverland — an energetic yet anguished, embittered track that beautifully captures the feelings of disillusionment that come with age and the urge to escape everyday life. The chorus of Neverland in particular has stuck with me ever since:
“So take me away /To a far away place
Where nobody knows my face /Let me vanish without a trace
And let my name become erased / Let me be just a memory (memory, memory)
Let me be just a memory (memory, memory)”.
Finally the set ended on a wild hybrid cover of All Star and the theme tune to PBS’s Arthur, a combination I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to hear again but was definitely enjoyed by all of the audience alike.
Interested in hearing more? Passionflower’s newest EP can be found on Spotify
The second and final act of the night was Break Fate, a three-piece band based in London. Watching Break Fate perform live, my attention was immediately caught by the infectious (non-pandemic related) enthusiasm of the band’s lead vocalist Mashana, whose energy was unmatched even by an incredibly psyched up crowd. This, combined with the sheer talent of drummer Oliver and guitarist Ricky, created a match made in heaven. Energising a clearly passionate and dedicated audience through their collective sound.
If there was one song I would recommend from this set for any new listeners to Break Fate, it would be Out Loud — while a comparatively more introspective track within the album, performed live this was electric. The best way I can describe this song is to compare it to a resolution anthem after a boss battle, a combination of emotional reflection and absolute vibes creating an undeniable poignancy. It is clear throughout Break Fate’s album that they have a versatile talent for conveying complex emotion.
When asked for a comment on the performance Break Fate (specifically Mashana) stated:
“the show was beyond what we expected! We had a lot of fun playing our first gig since our album dropped last year! Alot of people came out to support us, Passionflower and Sarah which was so awesome to see! Goes to show we need more events like this because they champion musicians of colour within the scene! We support and salute Sarah for the efforts she’s put into establishing POC ROCKS! You rock Sarah! Hope you can have us on again in the future!”
Want to check out Break fate’s most recent album? Ferocity can be heard on Spotify or in a 37 minute long “album stream experience” on YouTube which I highly recommend.
Overall I would say that the POC ROCK experience is one I would recommend, and definitely something I would like to see more of in the future — the organisation’s Instagram is already advertising for their next show on August 26th and promising future monthly showcases.
At its core, POC ROCK exists to uplift and champion diversity and equality in Rock and Alternative Music. It was created from a need seen first-hand by its organisers in both the racism faced by PoC in the scene and the disappointingly slow rate at which diversity within it seems to be increasing. Organisations such as POC ROCK are making an active effort to lead change in the rock and alternative scene, all while being passionate about supporting individual artists — something that I hope to see more of in the future and can only commend.
If you’re in the London area and interested in attending the next POC ROCK event (or just want to discover more talented artists while supporting a good cause), POC ROCK can be found on Instagram, twitter, or online at pocrockldn.com.
While it’s certainly too early to say if live performances are back for good, if you were worried that post-lockdown nostalgia had you overhyping the in-person experience, I can assure you — it’s still all it’s cracked up to be.
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