Playing downstairs in the oddly shaped room of Clwb Ifor Bach to a sold out audience is a tasty proposition. They’ve played to a sold out audience upstairs last time I saw them here which was several years ago now and that was messy I’m sure if memory serves me well downstairs was carnage last time so a lot to live up to.

I was thinking when it came to writing this that I’ve seen them in the Globe, Uni, Arena and Clwb Ifor Several times in this fair city and they’ve all bee exceptional for one reason or another be it the first post covid comeback to supporting the mighty Libertines but Clwb can be a bit special.

Trampolene come from Wales bestust city and for one reason or another there is a rivalry and people of the capital lovingly refer to the good people of Swansea as “Jack Bastards” however the insult was quickly embraced by the people out west and chanted at football matches as a bage of honour and being a greeting between fellow “Jacks”. I digress, back to the sweaty pit that is Clwb downstairs. As the strains of the national anthem belt out of the PA the trio of invaiders stride onto the compact stage like marauding panto villians before launching into ‘Gotta Do More’ as a beaming Jones struts back and forth like a peacock absorbing the chants of “you jack Bastard” like some superhero using it to energise his performance because for the next hour he’s going to need it. Let the carnage begin!

‘Sort Me Out’ from the new forthcoming album and ‘Shoot The Light’ pepper the beer and bodies that are thrown around in the lively pit that is bouncing along. It’s like the worst stag do has gate crashed a party and the two quickly realise that they are a marrage made in heaven and need to make the night last forever because its not going to get any better than the here and now. The band are on a tight timeline and have a new album to promote which they throw in some of the new songs into tonight tight and focussed set. I love the debut album and the stand out songs which are getting thinner as they release more albums and there is only time to play a verse of ‘Beautiful Pain’ as well as the compilation of ‘pick a pocket’ with the highlight from the album tonight being ‘My Bourgeoisie Girl’. ‘Ketamine’ and ‘Poundland’ are raced through like terrace anthems as Jones surrenders himself to the pit. It was a pleasant suprise to see and hear the band rip through the classic that is ‘Yma O Hyd’ before having to call time on the evenings madness.

Before it go too messy ‘Uncle Brian’s Abattoire’ was an unlikely singalong but boy was it delivered.

The new songs sounded like a band on the up as much as I love the releases the new tunes that are going to be on ‘Love And War’ like ‘Money’ sound next level. There is so much happening so quickly its like trying to ride a wild horse. the trick is to live in the moment and whatever happens happens. Theres no grief, no agro just a room full of smiling happy people loving life and its current soundtrack which just happens to be getting better. ‘No Love No Kisses’, ‘Together’ both add to the soundtrack surely now is this the time for Trampolene to kick on? I certainly hope so. They deserve it, they love it and they are delivering Rock and Roll by the bucket load. With a cheeky smile and a tune or two Trampolene have the X Factor – so now its over to the new album coming out and the band being elevated to the premier league where they belong. Now dry off soak up the beer and to the next time – catch them in a small venue and embrace the madness and chaos it wont be long before we reminise about the time we saw them in Clwb Ifor and such rooms – Trampolene are coming the beautiful Jack Bastards!

Author: Dom Daley

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