In a place like Nottingham, there’s musical talent all around you if you know where to look. The city is full-to-bursting with hole-in-the-wall venues, hosting some of the most unique and exciting up-and-coming acts around: one such venue is Billy Bootleggers, which has long been home to Nottingham’s alternative scene. Despite the meagre turnout, both Neo Cryptid and BB BlackDog put on shows brimming with cheer and charm.

BB BlackDog

In a crowded market, it’s important to stand out: say what you will about BB BlackDog, but the three piece sure aren’t blending in. Taking to the stage in costumes that lie somewhere between ‘classic rock’ and ‘Dad’s Army,’ the group were full of giggles and japes from the off— playing to only a handful of attendees, the band’s show felt very intimate and humble in a manner most endearing. When a local act declare their songs are “50% about sexual innuendo, 49% about politicians, and 1% about a chicken,” you know what kind of hijinks you’re getting yourself into: let it be known that by the set’s end, BB BlackDog were pulling off a call-and-response with rooster noises, and everyone present was smiling from ear to ear. This three-piece have made seven albums together, and you could feel just how comfortable they were with each other on stage: the entire set felt warm and cozy, with each member having just as much fun as the audience they were playing to.

We wouldn’t have been so taken with the show if BB BlackDog weren’t also solid musicians, of course, but that’s a concern we put aside very quickly. Sporting a unique set-up with two bass guitars instead of a six-string, the band’s show was dominated by crunchy stoner rock riffs and effortless touches of blues— the three-piece drilled down right into the heart of their genre, abandoning all but the most essential ingredients. Simple as they tended to be, the group’s songs were always full of infectious hooks and stomping bass lines, never failing to win us over: each track was certainly uplifted by the wonderful musicianship on display, with flashy percussive turnovers and dazzling wah-pedal lead lines elevating even the crudest of material. Songs like ‘Power’ and the closing cover of Motörhead’s ‘(We Are) The Roadcrew’ were, more than anything else, simply bucketloads of fun. Not bad for a band who kept joking about their age!

Neo Cryptid

It would be remiss of us to talk about exciting up-and-comers without once again singing the praises of Neo Cryptid, who remains one of the most unique and daring artists in UK metal. His latest performance at Billy Bootleggers was a somewhat less flashy affair than previous shows we’ve caught, as the lack of a smoke machine or a properly synchronised lights show stripped Walker of his usual mystique: even despite this, Neo Cryptid still runs circles around every other act of his size as far as theatrics are concerned, and in this case, a more naturalistic style fit the cozy, intimate nature of the event quite well. Even greater than his wickedly technical guitar playing or his monstrous growls, the greatest asset at Walker’s disposal continues to be his loveable personality, and that was front-and-centre in Nottingham— between every song, the artist was keen to shoutout previous local collaborators Wasted Awakening and Smear, both of whom had shown up for another night of raving techno-metal madness.

It’s impressive just how much pace and intensity this one-man act can bring to the stage, but Neo Cryptid pulls it off time and time again. Despite being trapped behind his microphone (and with a hefty eight-string guitar strapped to him to boot), Walker brought an enviable amount of energy to Billy Bootleggers, tearing his way through cuts like ‘Abhean Pact’ and ‘RBBT.exe’ with a giant smile on his face: that’s no mean feat when these cuts are so technically demanding, but the artist manages to make both his devilish screams and blazing fast guitar parts seem completely effortless. Despite its humble presentation, it was a big night for fans in the room, with Neo Cryptid detailing his work on an upcoming album ‘Studies of Adrenaline.’ The as-yet-unreleased number ‘Dark Forest’ made the set this time around, and it’s a bruising cut that built to one of the most thunderous climaxes of the night (and that’s no mean feat when the likes of ‘Raveyard’ and ‘Immolate Me’ were also played). Walker’s latest set proved that his fabulous lighting is merely the cherry on top: it’s for his performance that people flock to him.