BEX – GIG REVIEW17/08/2023

Review and Photos by Kit Foster

BEX – GIG REVIEW
17/08/2023

This is the first time I’ve seen BEX perform and they did not disappoint with their fiery
attitude and alternative rock style with a slightly creepy edge to them I wasn’t expecting.
The band consists of vocalist Bex Mercer, bassist Josh Paine and stand-in drummer Liam
Gustafson this trio were asked to support Witch Fever on their intimate UK tour and did an
impressive job opening up their set at Ramsgate Music Hall – one of the best and most
cherished small live music venues in Kent. The stage is small but easy to work for a band
that knows how to use their stage presence to their advantage.

The band entered the stage from a hatch on the stage floor, already adding a spooky
atmosphere in anticipation of what this band were about to do. I could tell from the way
they were dressed; their image matched their music as their vocalist Bex jumped straight
into action with a loud but unsettling first track. The bassist and drummer had just as much
energy and I could tell they put all of their energy into this performance as if they were
playing a huge festival. The tracks weren’t repetitive but kept to their genre of music, it was
clear they were going for the spooky grunge style similar to the headlining band Witch
Fever.

Halfway into their set, the vocalist noticed somebody on their phone and immediately
called them out on it – an attitude that doesn’t come across as rude but assertive, if you’ve
come to watch a show, watch it. If the band’s music and stage presence hadn’t won me over
already, the vocalist’s attitude certainly did. Their music was full of energy and spoke on
important issues in today’s society, using their music to prove a point and raise awareness is
always a skill I look for in a band. BEX has some serious talent and deserved a better
audience on the night, I would imagine they would have been throwing themselves into the
crowd and getting into the atmosphere of a rock gig if the crowd were more active.