The Damn Truth live at The Black Heart in London 2022

As I enter the venue there are already quite a few people queuing on the steps to the main room, so I already know it will be an incredible night!

The first row is formed by photographers and dedicated fans ready to see the support act that tonight is British female-led grunge, pop & alt/rock band Scarlet. They are hailing from the Northwest, and they are really happy and thankful to be here playing for us!

To my surprise, Scarlet sound like a band that has already made it. The continuous evolution from dreamy alt-rock to powerful riffs and melodies shows how this band is ready to take on bigger stages. Their set revealed to be a massive and addictive mix of punk-rock tracks, which is great if you do love the genre, but even if you are not, it is impossible not to move your feet and nod your head.

Singer and guitarist Jessie are very much into their music and was there for it, loving every single moment and taking in the love that the crowd is giving them. Her powerful vocals remind me of Avril Lavigne and transport me back to early 2000. Their music is infectious with solid rhythm sections and addictive lyrics, which is not an easy thing to do. The crowd is nodding their heads along and can’t stay still and I can tell that has been won over by Scarlet. My personal favourite is “In and Out”, written during the lockdown, featuring powerful drums by Cai.

What an explosive set, to keep us all wanting more! If you have never seen Scarlet live, do yourself a favour and check them out next time they are playing near you!

Quick break and Canada rock and roll band The Damn Truth is taking the stage by storm. Hailing from Montreal they take with them a heavy dose of hippie, recognisable, especially in their outfits. The band formed when guitarist and singer Tom Shemer and guitarist and lead singer Lee-La Baum met whilst naked in a hippie commune in Israel, and the power of love kept them together since.

Their music style has a powerful 60’s vibe running through it, full of flower power and the ‘Eco-friendly’ vibe that that mindset encourages. The Damn Truth is here to make part of their journey of wonderful and psychedelic rock and roll and when they step on stage, they give it their all with their incredible energy and addictive songs. During the whole set, Lee-La shows off her stunning vocal, which blends perfectly with the jangly guitar riffs and steady drumbeats with the rest of the band bouncing around. And while doing this the crowd goes crazier and crazier for them, jumping and singing along.

The Damn Truth’s family vibe and down-to-earth accessibility have led them to a loyal fan base who have been singing along with the words by words. Most of the time, people are overwhelmingly positive and kind. I think their fans get what they are into, and the peace and love and rock ‘n’ roll vibe still resonate with people out there, as it should!

The Damn Truth has it all, great style, incredible songs, energy, talent and great people; what a gig! I’m hoping to see them playing in a big arena in the future, but for now, I’m grateful to have experienced them in such an intimate venue.

The Damn Truth Setlist: