Where were you last Friday? Or more so, where should you have been? The only real correct answer to this question is the O2 Institute 3. With Marisa and the Moths headlining and Rooted supporting, this gig shaped up to be a pretty amazing night. If you were there, brilliant stuff, you caught a couple of amazing bands, you had a great start to the weekend! If not, fear not… Andrew Miller DID check it out, and has written his review of the night.

Andrew also had a chat with the band members beforehand, which you will be able to check out on Brum Radio in the near future (See below for more details!).

02 Institute 3 – 08/11/2024 – Marisa and the Moths (with support from Rooted)

– Andrew Miller (@rockofageshq)

Spending the night watching Marisa and the Moths was an absolute joy – a band having a lot of fun, with a lot of smiles and a very positive attitude. Their music sounded great and really got people moving, with fans of all ages in attendance. To describe Marisa and the Moths would be a nightmare if the word ‘eclectic’ wasn’t in existence. They hit all kinds of tones, genres, styles and notes with an ‘all-in’ approach to music that is great to see and hear.

There is so much music in Marisa and the Moth’s music. What do I mean by that? Listen to their latest album ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’. Weighing in at a colossal 55 minutes, spread across 16 tracks, you will hear all kinds of tones and genres on offer, from Rock Riffs to Southern Licks, Punk tones to Metal and much more, it even gets orchestral in places. With an album so long I was worried they would have to drop much of it for a live set, but fear not as they entertained the crowd for 90 minutes. They kept things lively throughout with great stage presence – evoking singalongs with their boundless charisma.

I had the joy of chatting to them beforehand and they are genuinely wonderful people. Marisa, Liam, Alex and Alez gel so well together on and off stage, and have that musical bond that not only captivates crowds but also bagged them a number one album for their efforts with ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ hitting the top spot in the UK Rock and Metal Charts earlier this year. They also had a wonderful crew supporting them, which helped the gig play out very smoothly!

Marisa also spreads an important message about Mental Health, recalling the effect it has had on her own life, and encouraging those struggling to reach out and get the support they need. Their music is powerful lyrically and musically, and I hope a bright future awaits this band.

Providing support was Birmingham’s Grunge / Punk / Rock outfit Rooted, turning it all the way up and bringing the noise. They showcased so much of what makes them a great band, and showed great composure to get through what was sadly, and beyond their control, a bit of a technical nightmare. I see this quite often, technical issues… sadly, sound engineering is not an easy game to play. Bands handle these difficulties in different ways. Rooted showed great professionalism to get through a difficult night for them, and played a great set regardless, showing their great stage presence and engaging style of performance. Huge amounts of energy on display. I’m greatly looking forward to new material by them, which they tell me is coming soon…ish…tbc…

All in all a fantastic night up at the Institute 3!

Catch both bands on @marisaandthemoths and @musicbyrooted for future updates. Photo credits to amazing @tjl_photography7620

You can catch my interview with them in full on Rock of Ages from 7pm on Wednesday 20th November on brumradio.com with catchup on mixcloud. You can check out many more of my shows right here http://www.brumradio.com/rock-of-ages

I’ve been your reporter in the field, sporting a very bruised rib from moshing too hard,

DJ Millabong