Gig Review: Die Twice At Mascara Bar

Hardworking Exeter outfit Die Twice show they have a bright future on a night full of the hottest new talent in the scene at Mascara Bar; enlisting the likes of Brooki and Tough Cookie.

Phone free gigs are usually reserved for big name bands like Jack White or Bob Dylan. Introducing them to a band with a primarily Gen-Z following like Die Twice (at 31, I feel on the older side here); that wear their Radiohead influences on their sleeve – feels like a bold choice that can only a good thing, so that by the time the first band comes on the fans are engaged and having a great party across the board – the unique atmosphere of the famous 120 capacity Irish tastemaker bar creates a collective sense of enthusiasm. Bands like Fontaines and Sprints have all played there in the past (that Sprints show is the stuff legends are made of) – and now they can add Die Twice, Brooki and Tough Cookie to their number as part of a packed out 3-night residency for Die Twice – showcasing some of the best new support in the scene. The phone-free rule doesn’t last of course; but it encourages and provokes conversation so that the place feels truly alive. 

Tough Cookie is on first; a local Dalston band who have their depth and energy that they can reflect in their live shows to ramp up the crowd. They feel new, like they are just getting started and already ripe with potential – no flourishes, no unnecessary overcomplications; just indie stripped back and to its core with a sense of authenticity. It’s a theme that all three bands feel kind of sonically influenced by Radiohead tonight and Tough Cookie are no different – looking at Patti Smith as an inspiration for some of their more recent material in the way that her approach to art is personified beyond the music sphere – that’s reflective in their lyrics and the vividness of ‘Sandcastles 2008’. “She’s been building her life on the sand / staying here was never part of the plan / but every time the house falls apart on the beach, she feels it / rebuilds it”.

Their EP ‘The Countryside is Good for You’ installs a bit of their ethos – intimate settings are kind of the wheelhouse that they operate in and tracks like across the board feel like a good mix of talent and range. The split between songs feels seamless and it’s a band that finds their groove well. August Tse on vocals captures Wolf Alice vibes at times – with Daniel Hvorostovsky (bass), Jess Ayres (guitar), and Gavin Sullivan (drums) establishing a four piece that are currently proving their worth at tastemaker venues throughout the crowd.It feels the more you listen to their live sound that each of their songs are great at creating a sense of place – if ‘Sandcastles 2008’ was more about the beach; ‘The Countryside is Good for You’ feels more about the burning desire to escape from the city – the feeling of being stuck and popularity being a modern currency, instantly relatable to a social media-driven Gen-Z youth. They call upon the world to see what it really is – and address the self-reflection on disconnect from society; fading self-worth and the loss of self-innocence. Their set in Mascara Bar is the perfect place to restore that balance.

Brooki are already making waves in the industry and have two slots at the Great Escape festival in Brighton next week to look forward to. They join the next wave of Irish acts tipped ‘most likely to’ and have already come off a tour supporting Keo. Their music echoes PJ Harvey in grit and perseverance and lead singer Sarah Brookfield has a voice to match – capturing Wunderhorse and Portishead vibes in every sense; and have already toured with Madra Salach and Gurriers. Brookfield’s stage presence is electric, and the band get the complete audience buy in some headliners even struggle to have – the sound feels grunge-y and engaging with charisma that helps the confidence from the sheer number of shows as a band they’ve already done. ‘Bite the Apple’ is haunting – currently unreleased but no less powerful – maximising loud drums and triumphant guitar sounds. With no music currently released on streamers yet it’s impressive how much of a cult following they have in the indie scene – and a telltale sign of a good band. 

Headliners Die Twice are hard-working and have paid off with the Mascara Party that they use across their residency to build connections and network among the bands in London. They use their platform for a band that are disillusioned with the modern landscape of pop culture and social media – placing an emphasis on the lack of social media and connection from the off. Multiple people in the crowd are back from their first residency to see them again in the crowd and they cast a spell on the audience – their single ‘Wishbone’ is a grower when performed live – alluring and self-confident. “how could you break me so easy / there’s no love on either side / so the old man called me Wishbone /he didn’t know it made me cry” and it taps into the risks of oversharing and the sense of risk that comes with vulnerability, set to a Jeff Buckley-esque lyrical vocals. Olly Bayton’s vocals do a great job at evoking a sense of storytelling combined with a rich sonic, haunting sense of drama. It takes a big risk for a band like Die Twice to actively avoid social media in favour of buzzy, word of mouth performances and let the quality of the music do the talking for them – but it seems to have worked: the crowd packed out here and dancing to the beat of the music. I adored the rougher edges of ‘Evelyn’ too – and there’s even time for Sarah Brookfield to return to the stage for a cover that draws in the crowd – combining the Irish vocals with that of the scene of the burgeoning Southwest underground.

To experience these Mascara Parties that Die Twice have put on – night three; their last – is on May 22nd, with two support bands currently unannounced (though, expect some of the hottest talent in the scene based on these past two nights) is to experience a sense of community; disconnection from an online sphere and the vibes of the night. People are dancing; enjoying themselves – and more importantly, not glued to their phone. DJs keep the party going long into the night – James Mellen from My First Time stopped by to keep the crowd energy up; and as far as Friday scenes to spend your evening, there are few worse places to be. 

Photography By: @dorotheaforrester