overpass (Gorilla Manchester)

Gorilla is a venue I hadn’t stepped foot in for over six years, and returning to it for Overpass felt like the perfect way to reacquaint myself with the space. Having last been there for an intimate Liam Fray show, I knew the kind of energy a venue like this could hold, and with the buzz surrounding Overpass, I was ready to see if they could match it.

With social media lighting up about them as one of the breakthrough bands to watch this year, I spent the weeks leading up to the gig diving into their music—and I was seriously impressed. Their sound was bold, energetic, and packed with anthemic moments. When I arrived at Gorilla, running a couple of minutes behind, the band had already started, and the place was absolutely packed, I could hardly get into the venue.

From the moment I stepped in, I could feel the energy in the room. The band had full command of the stage, and their performance had the kind of polish and passion you’d expect from a group well beyond their years. The lead singer’s voice sounded so clean and together, with the rest of the band, generated a sound which had the whole room bouncing.

Each track felt like a statement, with the crowd feeding off every note, singing along and bouncing to every hook. I only knew a couple, but even the ones I didn’t know had me singing and dancing by the time I got to grips with the lyrics. There was a real sense that this was one of those gigs people would look back on and say, I saw them before they blew up.

Overpass have the songs, the presence, and the following is constantly growing. They have the potential to go the distance. If this show was anything to go by, it won’t be long before they’re filling even bigger venues. If you get the chance to see them, take it—you won’t regret it.