Live: The Hunna @ Boston Music Room

by | Mar 6, 2016

I’m at Boston Music Room in Tufnell Park, attending the first of three sell-out shows by Hertfordshire four-piece The Hunna. Although not a venue that’s about to win any awards for its appearance, the slightly decrepit, run-down nature of the place sits well with the angsty yet anthemic sound of this guitar laden young band.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

There’s a real feeling of anticipation being shared by the front row I now find myself alongside and the fan base has grown rapidly since The Hunna’s inception – so much so that following a tour supporting Coasts last Autumn, they have already announced a headline show at Camden’s Electric Ballroom in the Summer. Heady stuff.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

They open with Alive, a song not represented on either of the EP releases to date. It’s a bold move given that a significant number of the audience were unaware of its presence to this point. That said, an eleven strong set list is by definition going to be top heavy with unreleased works when the back catalogue currently contains only a quintet of tunes and the crowd embraced all the new material with great enthusiasm.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

We were soon in far more familiar territory with new single We Could Be, its insistent bass line and urgent drums inducing significant bounce, sway and early chanting from the collective. A very high-energy song like this rapidly got the band into its stride: bassist Jermaine Angin and drummer Jack Metcalfe form an excellent foundation; meanwhile stage right, guitarist Dan Dorney paced forward and back like a captive wild cat waiting to spring. Occupying centre stage was charismatic frontman Ryan Potter, with his straw blonde hair flailing about, there’s more than a passing resemblance to Kurt Cobain going down. It says a lot about the confidence expressed in your musical project that you’re prepared to have its title indelibly inked upon your person; but Potter proudly displays the name of the band on his right shoulder blade as he goes about his work. There’s plenty more body art on display too, much to the excitement of the (almost exclusively female) front row wedged up against the stage.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

But this is not a band over which to fawn based upon aesthetic appeal alone. The song writing is excellent; the music soars and the lyrics have depth. It’s hard to believe they’re as young as they are. The new material keeps coming: Still Got Blood, Never Enough and Hunna Tree are all well received but not surprisingly the biggest excitement of the night was reserved for opening single Bonfire, a great piece of music that resulted in the audience going completely wild and Potter finishing the set laying on his back.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

There’s a definite buzz about The Hunna and plaudits abound. If you like your music guitar based and approve of bands such as Coasts and Catfish And The Bottlemen then you need to see this band and you need to do it soon. An opportunity to catch them up close in an intimate venue could soon become a rare commodity indeed.

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

The Hunna performing at Boston Music Room London on 2 March 2016 (Simon Reed)

Live Review & Concert Photography by Simon Reed on 2nd March 2016. See more of Simon’s photography on his personal website: www.musicalpictures.co.uk

Live Review: The Hunna @ Boston Music Room

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000kEg7nWLm2Ug” g_name=”The-Hunna” f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”t” f_fullscreen=”t” f_show_watermark=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_mtrx=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”600″ height=”450″ f_constrain=”t” bgcolor=”#ffffff” bgtrans=”t” btype=”new” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” twoup=”t” trans=”flip” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_topbar=”f” f_bbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_smooth=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” ]

Blair Davie (Press)

Blair Davie Shares Uplifting New Single ‘Wouldn’t Be Right’

Rising Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie has unveiled their newest single Wouldn’t Be Right, an infectious yet tender anthem released today via Giant Music. Fusing upbeat melodies with introspective lyrics, the track builds on Davie’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s most emotionally honest and promising new voices.

Oasis (Simon Emmett)

Oasis Launch Official ‘Live ’25’ Fan Stores Ahead Of Sold-Out World Tour

As Oasis prepare to make their long-awaited return to the stage in 2025, the band has announced a major new addition to the fan experience: a series of official Oasis Live ‘25 Fan Stores set to open across the UK and Ireland, beginning with a flagship location in Manchester this Friday, 20th June.

Cam (Szilveszter Makó)

Cam Announces Intimate London Show & Bold New Album ‘All Things Light’

Following the recent release of her spellbinding single Alchemy, GRAMMY®-winning artist Cam has officially announced her third full-length studio album, All Things Light, due out Friday, 18th July via RCA Records. Alongside the album news, the Huntington Beach, California-hailing musician has also confirmed a special one-off intimate show in London at The Tabernacle on 10th July 2025 — marking her first UK performance since her 2023 Roundhouse appearance.

London Grammar @ Lido Festival 2025 (Ellie Koepke)

London Grammar Close First-Ever LIDO Festival With Mesmerising Set In Victoria Park

The inaugural LIDO Festival came to a triumphant end on Sunday night as London Grammar delivered a spellbinding headline set to a sun-kissed Victoria Park. The final act of a groundbreaking, artist-led ten-day event, their widescreen pop swept across the East London fields with crystalline clarity, bringing the festival’s closing chapter to an emotional high.

Opus Stage for Lorna Shore - @ Download Festival XXII - Sunday (Simon Reed)

Sunday In Photos At Download Festival XXII

Sunday at Download Festival XXII delivered an electrifying finale to an unforgettable weekend, blending heavy riffs,...

The Zipheads launch a Rock’n’Roll Renaissance on Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is, of course, the perfect day for The Zipheads to launch their much awaited third album Rock‘n’Roll...
Sophie Lloyd @ Download Festival XXII - Saturday (Simon Reed)

Saturday In Photos At Download Festival XXII

As Download XXII roared into its second full day, Saturday continued the weekend's adrenaline-fuelled ride with...
Charli xcx @ Lido Festival 2025 (Henry Redcliffe)

Charli xcx’s ‘PARTYGIRL’ Rules The Night At LIDO Festival 2025 — A Euphoric Takeover In East London

East London was ablaze with brat energy on Saturday night as Charli xcx delivered a genre-defying, euphoric headline...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing