EASY LIFE: LIVERPOOL, UK
Easy Life
at Liverpool Guild of Students, Mountford Hall in Liverpool, UK
words by Jen Rose
Easy Life’s latest album release, a mix of upbeat and reflective pop tracks, MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE was released in October 2022. After performing a special BRITS Week gig in aid of War Child, the Leicester based five-piece landed in Liverpool for a night of showcasing alternative indie pop tracks from their latest album and some of their classic tracks.
Sad Night Dynamite got the crowd hyped for what was to come with a set full of alternative/indie tracks, the perfect opening to the gig.
The high energy remained as easy life took to the stage, starting their set with the opening track from their latest album ‘GROWING PAINS’. From there, they drop the audience into a world of woozy vocals and up tempo instrumentals. Whilst some songs had members of the audience on each other’s shoulders, softer songs like ‘slow motion’ encouraged gentle sways and soft (though not necessarily tuneful) singalongs.
Whilst the band could have relied on their new material to do the talking, they produced a mixed set - showcasing collaborative tracks like ‘Sangria’, ‘OTT’ and ‘ANTIFREEZE’ alongside older, classic tracks from the band such as ‘ojpl’ and ‘frank’ - which garnered an excellent response from the half of Liverpool who weren’t deep in the tense Derby game.
Their energy throughout the set proved extremely infectious, as one of the band (I couldn’t see who over the taller audience members) crowdsurfed towards the end of the set and - in an unexpected but lovely turn of events - a couple who had just got married enjoyed an on-stage wedding reception, slow dancing to ‘FORTUNE COOKIE’ and a generous round of applause.
Easy Life might be known for chaotic, wild live shows, but the version of the band on stage is more measured and mature. The band don’t need gimmicks to grab the attention of the crowd, as they lap up every word and don’t stop dancing and singing along - even when they deliver new track ‘trust exercises’. The audience may not be able to sing along to that track but they are delighted by the band’s tease of more indie adjacent tracks to come.
As the set closed with ‘DEAR MISS HOLLOWAY’, the band had its audience in the palm of their hands. Whilst it was hard to believe it was a Monday night, it was hard not to acknowledge the talented five-piece as they eased through an impressive set.