Review: Darlia, The Garage, London

If there’s one thing you can guarantee from a Darlia gig, it’s that their fans are ready to go bonkers as soon the trio hit the stage.

Or rather, before, as the crowd inside The Garage chants the band’s name long before they’re set to appear.

Riding the wave of grunge-indie acts ruling the alt.rock world right now, Blackpool’s Darlia are riotous, fierce and thick with energy.

Matching the intense rawness of their recordings is no mean feat, but as the live environment takes hold, singer Nathan Day is every inch the captivating frontman.

The dizzying crowd account for all the extra electricity whipped up inside the 600-capacity room, encouraging Day to ditch his guitar and dive towards the mosh pit during Queen of Hearts. If his swarm of teenage fans weren’t flustered already, this was the tipping point.

Recent single Stars Are Aligned showcase the band’s best riffs, competing with the popular likes of Dear Diary for catchiest track of the night.

It’s a good night to be a Darlia fan, as the youngsters prove they’re capable of all this and much more. Watch this space.