Saturday 28^th January marked the first single release of the year for indie rock band Alibi with support from Manoeuvre, the 4-piece south-eastern rock band consisting of Oliver Robinson (vocals/guitar), Kane Taylor (guitar), Charlie Tipler (vocals/bass) & Liam Avery (drums), as well as Teal, the Kent-based garage rock duo Stephen Fishman (guitar) & Rosa Loveridge-Greene (drums),

Alibi are the quintessence of home-grown rock music, embracing their roots visually as well as lyrically. Their music video for “Everybody Thinks I’m Lonely” filmed in and around Bexhill-On-Sea is a glaring example of this, with the familiar shots on Galley Hill and the Skate Ramp at Glyne Gap. Alibi state their influences among The Black Keys, The Libertines, Spring King and The Smiths; to name a few. In Alibi’s early material these influences are apparent, though recent tracks indicate a development in their own individual sound as their musical palette evolves. Their debut self-titled EP “Alibi”, released in 2016, established fan-favourites such as the aestival “Lovers in the Dark” and “Out for Days (Human Touch)”, as well as the gradual spirit of “Tricks on Me” – evocative of The Cranberries.

Following the airing of their new track “Space, Man” on BBC Introducing the same evening, Maxi Williams (lead vocals/guitar), Matt Edwards (lead guitar/vocals) Benji Meacham (bass/vocals) & Wesley Brown (drums) drew in an impressive influx of raucous fans to The Tub. Manoeuvre began their set playing tracks from their newly released EP “Jigsaw”, progressively building up cadence and strong drumbeats, and Teal bestowed a substantial echo of 90’s grunge among the crowd – which was greatly received. The budding atmosphere gave the lads’ support bands more than enough adrenaline to work up the crowd just before Alibi’s exodus of bodacious guitar riffs, and the balmy and youthful tinge of “For Days” and “Vicious Trinity”. After teasing their own rendition of The Kid Kapichi’s “Ice Cream”, Alibi introduced Jack Wilson (guitarist and vocalist of The Kid Kapichi) to perform “She Stole My Heart” alongside them. By the time the band unveiled their newest single “Mama” the atmosphere was fervent, and the single’s sheer lively affection brought the night to its peak; this gig is one of many that have furthered sanguine expectations for the next year and the artistry which will ricochet through our little town.

When in conversation with Alibi’s lead vocalist and guitarist Maxi Williams, I asked about the disappearance of the band’s full-length live album Vice Versa. He told me that the band weren’t entirely happy with it and thus took it down. It was a lesson that taught them not to release anything that doesn’t completely sit right with them to ensure they’re creating the best material they can be.

And undoubtedly, an alibi is only as good as its details.

You can follow Alibi on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. You can also stream their new single “Mama” on Spotify, or purchase it from iTunes.