The message amidst the flames of musical passion? ‘We are here to stay, so get used to us.’
Boy Bleach consists of five members, including two sets of brothers; Louis and Jimi Fisher – frontman and drummer respectively; James and Nick Willis – each a craftsman on the guitar; and their close friend Jaime Goth a.k.a ‘JJ’ providing the powerful bass. This group of young men combine naturally, the product of which cannot be boxed into a conventional genre. Elements of early pop-punk, reggae, modern pop and alternative rock can be picked out through their roster of tracks.
Their first headline show in London was a christening-like moment. As the audience excitedly awaited the five, a red aura surrounded the walls of a packed room. It covered every inch, leading the focus to what would emerge from behind the veil; Louis walked out to a wall of deafening screams as his black-lined eyes, long hair and blacked-out outfit took centre stage. The boys followed suit, taking their positions on stage. Boy Bleach let the anticipation expand, not giving in to the requests of the crowd but maintaining control. Then, suddenly, when you felt as though they had left it too long – the band burst into life in unison and the flood of red switches to an electric sea of blue as Louis begins to sing ‘Perfect Guy‘.
Jimi, a fan favorite, dominated the stage with his drum presence, acting as a conductor from the back – pushing the momentum of each track forward as the rest of the band followed his lead, a testament to the chemistry between the boys and how well-rounded they are as a musical group. Tracks like ‘LoveU2x‘ and ‘bullet!’ proved this chemistry. Louis would sing towards Jimi, James and Nick would riff into each other and bring a complete performance to their fans. For such a young band to have such a stage presence is a rarity, and it’s a sign of a promising career ahead.
Mid-way through the show, Louis addresses the crowd ‘I hear we have some people from Germany in the house?‘ Adoring fans start screaming, ‘You guys came all the way from Germany?‘ They all affirmed his questioning – Boy Bleach had amassed a loyal European following from their time with Yungblud across Europe. The Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden were among the nations mentioned.
A fan throws a Czech flag at Louis – he catches it, ties it around his neck and proceeds to sing ‘Preplexed‘, a vulnerable ballad about mental health and the overlooked struggles young people face. As the song developed, a beautiful atmosphere could be felt, surrounded by a darker lyrical context.
As the show came to an end, they revealed an unreleased track to their adoring fans – ‘We have been Boy Bleach, and this is ‘EastEnd Boys”. Flashes came to life as if a million fireflies had flown into the room, excitement roared, and a rendition of their upbeat brit pop-esque ballad blared through the speakers. Flashing stage lights and a drum solo signalled that the show had come to an end, as Boy Bleach basked in the glory of applause and fan adoration
Coming off the stage to a group of calm and grateful fans – you are reminded that Boy Bleach are still a group of young men who love music. They may be ominous and large in presence on stage, but at the end of the day, they are human, humble and kind to their fans.
Speaking with Jimi after the show, out of breath and still taking in the overwhelming support for their first London headline show, he said;
‘This is night one of two, and it has been incredible. To see all the fans, people coming from Europe just to see us, I can’t put into words how much it means to us. We’ve headlined in Stoke Newington, but this is our first in London, and the reception has just been immense – Let’s see what tomorrow brings.’
Yet to release their first album, still not signed to a major label and with the world at their fingertips. Boy Bleach are walking down the path of the greats, with their eyes focused on the stars, the future is bright for these five young men – we can’t wait to see it.