Carpark caught beneath the landslide at The Lower Third
It was incredible, I’ve seen them 3 times now and never been disappointed, always a great vibe I just wish the set lasted longer“
Reece Rimmington (long time Carpark fan)
Even though I’m in Brazil, I couldn’t sleep last night as my heart was many miles away. More precisely in London, at The Lower Third nightclub on Denmark Street, where one of the most promising pop-punk bands experienced a “turning point” in their career with a packed show and the presence of new celebrities like Holly Humberstone in the audience. Yes, once again I’m talking about the powertrio Carpark, which, little by little, has been ensuring its presence at local festivals and, based on the commotion it caused last night, I’m pretty sure is ready to dominate the world.
In Brazil, Carpark is still unknown and many people ask me why I insist on talking about, recommending and, above all, listening to this band every day. The answer is easy: since Green Day gave us”Dookie”, I have never seen such powerful chemistry between a trio of musicians as versatile and experienced as Carpark. And from what I’ve seen from the material in London, I believe that Carpark is close to breaking through with its own “Dookie”. For what is worth, Carpark is one of the exponents of the new London independent wave catalyzed by festivals like Barn on the Farm and even series like “Heartstopper”, whose soundtrack is practically a manual of debut artists worth knowing.
The chemistry
To begin with, we have Scottie, the vocalist/bassist who has the profile of a mermaid on stage, full of style and highly fashionable: it is almost impossible to watch a Carpark show or video without being struck by the spark that her magnetism produces. Then we have Hattie, the guitarist who, alone, packs the band’s entire sound. She is as talented as Johnny Marr in her unique and clear chords. Finally, we not only have my favorite from Carpark, but also my favorite drummer/vocalist of all time. Loda is the glue that gives consistency to Carpark, combining proficiency and sensuality. Her difference? Not only does she have a style of dominating her drums as if she were releasing all the anguish in the world, but at the same time the girl sings with a soft timbre that is a delicious counterpoint to the aggressiveness with the drumsticks.
According to those who were lucky enough to be in the audience, the show was very good and exciting, despite the set list being considered short. After all, today’s Carpark has basically one EP: “The World Ended in 2012” (2022) and rumors, from what we can see on the members’ own social media, are that the next work is already being recorded. At least at times when the most requested drummer in the world Loda isn’t traveling around the globe as an invited musician by other artists like Holly (by the way, easy challenge for an athlete as you can see below).
Well, honestly, I wish I had been to The Lower Third, at least physically, to extend this review. But I can say, without fear of making a mistake, that one of the coolest things about Carpark is that they make such a broad type of music that, unlike many other new bands, they avoid niches. Among its increasingly growing group of fans we find men, women, elderly people, children, dogs, cats, newborns. The explanation is quite simple: like Green Day, Carpark elevates art to the level of fun. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
