Brighton four-piece Yonaka tore through the stage tonight here at Borderline London as lead singer Theresa Jarvis swaggers on stage to the thunderous sounds of their opening track Run. It’s a tenacious blend of fiery metal with a hip-hop twist that pounded through speakers as audiences lunged towards the front.

 

Crowds pooled and swirled like waves as limbs collided across the stage, almost but not quite as fiercely as drummer Rob Mason’s piercing percussion as he crashed down on tracks like Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya and Drongo stirring listeners into a fervent frenzy.

Whilst Theresa stood poised, commanding her fans at all times, the frequent smile was a humble sign that perhaps the passion of her devoted crowd hasn’t quite sunk in and was enough to catch her by surprise on several occasions.

Both guitarist George Edwards and bassist Alex Crosby frequently contorted on stage giving it flair and vigour in true rock n roll fashion raising a few cans of Red Stripe before exploding into Ignorance. Not long after, the venue was doused in sweat and glitter, perhaps the only two things appropriate as they burst into their upcoming new single Bubblegum, with its colourful and vibrant melodies met with a bite that will no doubt be a sure fire hit amongst listeners.

What with their fan base on the rise, frequent radio play and various festivals under their belt, it’s safe to say this bands lustrous career is blowing up and certainly not due to burst anytime soon.

 

Find the band on Instagram.

Words and photos Jack Lloyd