What happens when you take two teenage siblings from the heart of London town with a rock n’ roll dream and something to say, force feed them a diet of Sex Pistols sneer, The Jam’s sharp suss and a heady dose of The Libertines? The Molotovs are what happens. Singer/guitarist Mathew and bassist Issey are just 17 and 19, respectively and have been making a name for themselves the past 2 years, gigging hard. 

With more than 500 shows under their belts, The Molotovs have put in the hard work, and it seems to be paying off. Following support slots with The Sex Pistols and Blondie, a slew of high-energy anthemic singles that nod to the glory days of ‘77 and a debut album due at the end of the month, their time is now….right now. 

First up tonight, though, are local lads Garage Flower, who have the task of warming up the growing crowd. Presumably named after The Stone Roses album of the same name, the four-piece band deliver a high-energy set of guitar-driven, garage rock. Don’t let the baggy jeans, the floppy fringes and their youthful looks deceive you, these boys are no shoegazing indie pretenders.  

With gravelly lead vocals, effect-ridden guitars and a tight rhythm section that gives a funky feel, Garage Flower have more in common sound-wise with the likes of Senseless Things and Mega City 4 than their Manchester heroes. The angst and rawness of ‘Jammy and’ Garage Flower’ also remind me of Aussie rockers The Vines, so they have that grungy, guitar rock thing going on, which is always a good thing.  

With a high-energy, animated set and plenty of crowd interaction from the singer, these hometown boys are worth checking out. Always make it in time for the support band. 

It’s sold out tonight at this, the second date of a UK tour promoting the yet-to-be-released debut album ‘Wasted On Youth’, and The Molotovs are firing on all cylinders from the moment they hit the stage. Singer Mathew spits, snarls and bashes his Rickenbacker like the bastard offspring of Rotten and Weller. Stage left, his sister Issey is a fervent ball of energy as she pulls off moves most couldn’t match, let alone whilst playing an instrument. Behind them, their latest drummer is a blur of flailing arms and urgent beats. 

With a fistful of songs some will know and a set of largely unfamiliar material, the band must rely on raw energy and their ability to entertain to win over a notoriously hard-to-please Leeds crowd, and they pull it off with ease. Opener ‘Urbia’ and the following ‘Newsflash’ are unfamiliar, yet sound mighty. The killer boy/girl “woah-woah’s” add a touch of class to the latter. Bowie’s ‘Suffragette City is up next, it sounds great, but they don’t really need it, their own material stands up. 

‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared’ and ‘More More More’ are modern, mod-tinged anthems that carry some clout and staying power. ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’ was one of the best tunes of last year, it pogos on a bouncy bass line and a very catchy chorus, it was bound to be a live highlight. Of the unfamiliar songs, ‘Wasting My Time’ is gloriously post-punk and ‘No Time To Talk’ sounds like early Manics, which is no bad thing. 

Chat is kept minimal, although we do get the odd quip from a seemingly nonchalant singer who does try to get a reaction from the crowd. Maybe tonight’s demographic was a bit higher than the band are used to, and while the audience may have lacked some energy, the band certainly didn’t. 

Between Mat’s raw, acerbic delivery, Issey’s relentless energy and the drummer’s Keith Moon-esque power, the trio deliver a faultless set of a seasoned touring band. After an incendiary hour set, they wrap things up with a two-song encore, including new single ‘Get A Life’, which was probably my highlight of the night. 

What a way to start off the gigging this year. For me, the Molotovs are the real deal and the full package. They look good, they sound great and are an exciting and entertaining live band. It’s hard to believe they are not even in their 20s yet.  

‘Wasted On Youth’ is a highly anticipated debut album, and I believe you will not get the chance to see them in small venues like this for much longer. The Molotovs are the sound of youth and the world is theirs for the taking. This is just the beginning. 

Author: Ben Hughes