Tucked away above The Distillers pub in Hammersmith is The Regal Room – a cozy setting for tonight’s Nashville rockers Shirock. We’ve been treated to a very special acoustic session with frontman Chuck and Pap. Usually playing as a full band, the duo have flown over especially to promote their latest single “New Solution.”
The band have already had a fair amount of success on the college circuit in the US but this is their first proper press trip to London. There’s a lot of nonsense to get through until we hit the sweet stuff though.
The bill tonight feels a little like the X-Factor rejects auditions complete with chirpy accent-heavy singer songwriters, songs about their “quirky” experiences with boys and a very cheesy presenter bringing it all together. However, there’s always Shirock.
From the moment the band step on stage, there’s the immediate sense that they’re a cut above the rest. Their acoustic version of “New Solution” is brilliant, you can feel the immediate chemistry between the pair (both are married) without being sickly sweet.
The highlight of the evening is the wonderful “Still Young.” With Pap on piano and Chuck standing by her side, the pair are pitch perfect and right on it. They make the rest of the bill seem like complete amateurs. This stripped-down set a different hue to the band, it’s a wonderful surprise. This is definitely a side of the band we’d like to get to know better.
