Photo by Luke Brennan (Website | Instagram)
2024 has been an incredible first full year for Set in Motion. The Nottingham four-piece, made up of Alfie Wallace, Niall Hopkins, Joe Carnell and Dillan Telford have already proven themselves as a promising indie powerhouse and are on an upwards trajectory, with no sign of slowing down at all. With an enticing mix of early noughties indie and modern pop, echoing the likes of Sam Fender, Tom Grennan and even Arctic Monkeys, they’re quickly becoming a favourite in the scene. I first saw them at Rough Trade in January and fell in love with their sound, charisma, talent, and since have been a dedicated fan and gotten to know them. I caught them at their second ever headline show, at Saltbox, with support from Alma Close and King Cerulean.
Alma Close
Alma Close was up first. The noughties indie vibes were kicked off right from the start, with a charismatic and high energy set. Their opener set an extremely high standard for what was to come, and they did not disappoint at all. The positive and powerful energy was really consistent throughout the set, and each band member truly put in their all to contribute to this incredible sound. However for me, the third song of the set, Corpse, was the standout. All of the songs were great, but this one stood out for its abrasive riff and powerful vocals, combined with an honest and reflective feel. Watch out for these, you’ll definitely be seeing them in the future.
King Cerulean
Second up was King Cerulean. Just before they came on I was speaking to Joe from Set in Motion, and he told me about how they came to support them. The story goes that both King Cerulean and Set in Motion were competing at a music competition in London, and then they asked Set in Motion to support them at their hometown gig in Cardiff, and then Set in Motion returned the favour. Joe then described them as “insane”. He was damn right.
The nine-piece began the set by reeling-in their horn section from Saltbox’s balcony, with the singer gesturing to the group of three players to join them, all uniting on stage for what I can only describe as 40 minutes of pure fun. Mixing everything from ska to jazz to pop to samba to folk, they were an absolute joy to watch. The outfits had a summery vibe, extremely reminiscent of The 502s. Fun comes first in this incredible set, and their musicianship and clear connection hugely adds to this. I can not recommend them enough.
Set in Motion
Finally, the headliners, Set in Motion. With this show being the fourth of theirs I have seen this year, you’d think I wouldn’t be surprised by them. I was. It was extremely obvious that the crowd was made up of friends, family, and fans alike, which had already created a wholesome atmosphere, hugely boosting the mood. When they ascended to the stage, it was truly special.
Alfie’s smiles and constant thanks to the crowd were heartfelt: you could tell just how much they appreciated people coming to see them in the 500-cap venue. It’s easy to forget that their first gig all together was just last November, as they have truly made themselves feel like legends already. The setlist was amazing, with new songs and ones that fans already knew, such as Runner and Find Out Why. However, I had three standout tracks: Past the Postbox, New to this Town, and Break Free. Past the Postbox is a beautiful mix of frontman Alfie’s acoustic guitar-playing with a huge driving input from the rest of the band, and bears a certain romantic, yet honest, emotional vibe. This is something that differs from their other songs and pushes them into a newfound, yet uniquely beautiful, territory.
Now, New to this Town could be my favourite track of theirs yet. A slightly out-of-breath yet ecstatic Alfie introduces it as a song about being new to Nottingham, and the sound to come was just something else. The syncopated rhythm and pure feel crafted an honest, yet truly powerful song, which for me, is easily up there in their catalogue. Now, any fan of Set in Motion knows they always play their debut track, Break Free, last. This song is built different. It’s high-energy, beautiful, vocally insane, and is just special in every way. Everyone sang it, screaming at the top of their lungs as the band played. It was a moment, for sure. They exit the stage, but are quickly summoned back for an amazing impromptu rendition of The Killer’s Mr Brightside.
Towards the set’s end, the band announced an EP coming soon. This will 100% be to look out for, with the promise of having some of their favourites, as well as collecting all four of their incredible singles so far. These guys already seem to be at the top of their game, but the only way is up, and I foresee amazing things for this amazing band.