LIVE FROM THE PIT: Deaf Havana and The Dangerous Summer

Fifteen years after its release, DEAF HAVANA returned to the stage to celebrate the enduring legacy of Fools and Worthless Liars, an album that not only reshaped the band's trajectory but also became a defining record for a generation of alternative rock fans. The venue was packed long before the headliners took to the stage, with anticipation building throughout the evening as fans prepared to revisit a record that has soundtracked countless lives since 2011. 

Before that nostalgia-fuelled celebration could begin, THE DANGEROUS SUMMER were there to deliver a special performance of their beloved album Reach for the Sun in its entirety, providing a fitting companion piece to the night's main event. Sometimes playing a full album in order can land somewhat awkwardly, especially if the most popular songs and singles are littered around the tracklist. THE DANGEROUS SUMMER had no issues with this, the crowd embracing every track as AJ Perdomo's vocals were complemented by lead guitar and backing vocals from Marcus Leopard, alongside MALLORY KNOX members Dave Rawling on drums and James Gillett on guitar. In between tracks from the album, including Where I Want to Be, title track Reach for the Sun, fan favourite The Permanent Rain and closer Never Feel Alone, Perdomo told tales of touring with DEAF HAVANA for the initial release of Fools and Worthless Liars, stating how they love coming back to the UK. Their set reminded the crowd why the record remains such a cherished release within the scene, setting an emotional tone that carried through the evening. 

By the time DEAF HAVANA emerged, the crowd was truly ready to celebrate both the past and the lasting impact of an album that still resonates 15 years on. Playing Fools and Worthless Liars meant returning to an album the band have confessed to having a "love/hate" relationship with in retrospect, but throughout the set, this couldn’t have been less true. Running through the tracks, including opener The Past Six Years, which gives a shout out to Mike from LOWER THAN ATLANTIS and Jon from YOUNG GUNS, to guaranteed singalong I Will Try and the soul-baring Anemophobia, frontman James Veck-Gilodi and lead guitarist Matty Veck-Gilodi put every ounce of energy they had into performing. They both spoke at multiple points during the set to convey their love and thanks to the crowd for the support throughout the years, for the changing line up and the constantly evolving sound. Continuing through the album, they delivered the ultra nostalgic Hunstanton Pier, the haunting Leeches, before finishing the album play through with the sincere love song 54, to rapturous applause. 

At the end of Fools and Worthless Liars, DEAF HAVANA wasted no time in smashing out even more of a trip down memory lane, through the back catalogue of their over 20 year career. The crowd were treated to Everybody's Dancing and I Want To Die, 22 and Caro Padre from their third studio album Old Souls, before closing with Fever from 2017’s All These Countless Nights album. The atmosphere was built on a mutual exchange of energy, each song strengthening the bond between band and crowd, before they left the stage briefly, only to return and throw everyone back to the beginning, back to the time where the band have been constantly encouraged, pleaded with, even heckled at, to return to.

Walking back onto the stage, with a renewed sense of accomplishment and the cocky charm that fans have grown to know and love, Veck-Gilodi proclaimed “This is for the day ones!” before launching into Friends Like These, with the crowd erupting in sound and movement from every corner of the venue. For years, the track has been forgotten about by the band, put back into the archives despite fans’ pleas to perform it, before making a return at Slam Dunk festival, complete with vocals from THE BLACKOUT’s Sean Smith. Crowd surfers glided across the venue, landing in front of the stage, with Veck-Gilodi high fiving as many as he could as they passed. His partner and fellow musician, SIERRA ANNIE, got in on the action too, crowd surfing her way to the barrier. Smiles All Round, the track that introduced fans to a new sound after the original screamer in the band departed, was welcomed back into the setlist for the first time in years, with fans taking in the last of the nostalgia for the evening. The night closed with an unexpected change of pace, with Happiness from All These Countless Nights slowing things down in a way that rounded off the set perfectly. 

Many fans thought that they would never hear Fools and Worthless Liars in its entirety and even less thought they would ever get to see Friends Like These performed ever again, but if nothing else, DEAF HAVANA are a band that never let their fans down, even at the risk of a little discomfort. In revisiting the record, they demonstrated just how timeless these songs remain. Rather than feeling like a nostalgic look backwards, the performance felt as vital and heartfelt as ever, proving that some albums never lose their power and for that reason, Fools and Worthless Liars remains every bit as special as the day it was released.

Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Joshua Cunningham