There was nothing visually striking about this band. With a name like The Fashion, you might expect to see fancy costumes, make-up and crazy hairstyles. Not so. The band was there for one purpose, to entertain with their music, and entertain they certainly did. Their cool, relaxed on-stage image reflected a performance that was both down-to-earth, and uplifting.  |
It is difficult to categorise the music of The Fashion, the closest I can come is calling it upbeat, indie-rock n’ roll with a retro twist. I must say that the band's sound reminded me of an early Neil Young with its rocky guitars and enthusiastic tempos. The band had a very strong rhythm section comprised of Adam Whitford on guitar, Bradley March on bass and solid stickman Dave Bacon on the drumkit. They really gave the band forward momentum but what made the band's sound so accessible was the voice of lead vocalist Sarah Edison. She had a fantastically comforting tone to her voice and her varying melodies and passionate vocal hooks echoed around the pub. She was a larger-than-life character who confidently lead the band from start to finish. Joel Drury was on lead guitar and backing vocals adding his own unique style to the band. As a group, their sound was very easy and pleasant to listen to but it also retained the rocky feel that is so popular today.  |
The Fashion stuck to a similar song structure throughout their set. Intelligent and thought provoking riffs usually started each song and without fail the choruses would kick right in, each one with more energy and enthusiasm than the last. I couldn't pick out a song that I didn't tap my foot to and lyrically the songs encouraged you to sing along. These elements were taken advantage of by the ecstatic crowd. You wouldn't expect to see a crowd forming a mosh pit to The Fashion's music, but this one did! They moshed, danced and screamed along to every song and rapturous applause exploded at each songs end. It was really refreshing to see people having such a good time at a local gig. I would say a large portion of the crowd were friends of the band but it was still inspiring to see. The only criticism I would make of The Fashion is that they stand firmly in the middle of the road musically. If you expect to see and hear extremes of musical styles at gigs, you will not experience them at one of their shows. I would understand if some people found them slightly tedious and non-engaging because they do hang a little in the musical balance. However, what impressed me the most about this band was their genuine enthusiasm for their style of music. It came across so well during their performance and it really endeared me to them. They appeared as a group of friends playing the music they love which is so important amidst a music industry full of manufactured bands trying to be something they are not. | 
