Review and photos by Jess Bea
“I went out expecting a night of great music and to photograph my favourite three Scotsmen. What I got was Fight Club meets Scottish rock ‘n’ roll… and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!”
I’m still coming down from the high of one of the most epic evenings I’ve had in a long time, courtesy of the one and only Anchor Lane. Now, let me take you back to the summer of this year, when I first crossed paths with these fine Glaswegian lads. If you haven’t read about our rather unusual first encounter, involving what felt like the longest coffee queue in festival history, then do yourself a favour and head over to Jace Media to check it out.
Read my Maid of Stone Festival experience here
Fast-forward to the brisk autumn of November, and here we are again. On a rather smoky, firework-filled evening, I’d been invited along to see these wonderful lads perform once more, this time at a venue much closer to home, for an event organised by The Rock Cooperative 2024. I thought I was simply heading out for another cracking night of live music. Oh, how little I knew!
A LITTLE HIDDEN GEM IN GRAVESEND
This was my first visit to Leo’s at The Red Lion in Gravesend. From the outside, it’s a classic-looking pub, although its surroundings are a little unexpected, tucked away in what looks like an industrial estate. You’d be forgiven for not realising what lies beyond those doors. Step inside and you’ll find a quaint little bar area, complete with a pool table. But venture through the door to the left and you’ll discover one of the most intimate gig rooms I’ve come across in quite some time.
It’s small, it’s cosy and it certainly doesn’t look like much from the outside, but don’t let appearances fool you. This little room packs a serious punch when it comes to showcasing local and not-so-local talent. It’s the sort of venue where you’re right on top of the action. There’s nowhere for a band to hide, and the connection between performers and audience is there for everyone to see. It’s up close, personal and exactly how live music should be experienced. But before we get to the music, we need to talk about what happened before the first guitar was even plugged in!
THREE SCOTSMEN, A WRESTLING RING AND ONE VERY QUESTIONABLE EVENING!
First things first, a massive thank you to Anchor Lane for letting me tag along for the evening. And boy, was I in for a ride! For anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure of meeting them, the current Anchor Lane line-up consists of Conor Gaffney, founding member, frontman and lead vocalist, who also handles guitar duties; Graeme Newbury on drums, who’s been with the band for around six years; and Connor Traill on guitar, who was approaching his second anniversary with the lads. Now, I really can’t keep this review short because I’d be doing these boys a complete disservice. So buckle up, because you’re in for a rather long but thoroughly entertaining tale!
These are genuinely three of the nicest guys I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with the sort of super-warm Scottish welcome you’d expect from old friends finally catching up after missing a few Christmases together. The plan was to film some content for their Patreon supporters, so off we went, heading down into the basement at Leo’s. And this is where things took a rather unexpected turn. I was NOT prepared for what I was about to discover! A fully stocked bar, a gym and… wait for it… a WRESTLING RING!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, a wrestling ring!
Now, these boys have quite the collection of skills between them, from jiu-jitsu to MMA fighting, and Connor even holds a black belt. So naturally, they decided that the sensible thing to do was film a little video of themselves having a grapple.
Because why wouldn’t you? Let me tell you, Graeme stripped down to his shorts and looked more than ready to show Conor exactly who was boss. First up, Connor and Conor had a rather civilised encounter. Next, I think Conor was under the impression this was going to be a friendly little tussle with Graeme. I’m not entirely convinced Graeme had received the same memo! I suspect Graeme had decided this was his moment to make a name for himself in Fight Club, and what followed was certainly more entertaining than your average behind-the-scenes band footage. After a bit of scrapping, Graeme came away with a well-earned victory, but poor frontman Conor was left sporting a black eye! And this wasn’t just a little mark that would disappear after five minutes. Oh no. That beauty seemed to get progressively worse as the evening went on!
POPCORN CHICKEN, ADRENALINE AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
As if the wrestling antics weren’t enough, the lads still had a gig to get ready for. While chatting about the band’s new single and what was in store for the setlist, it became apparent that adrenaline from a good old showdown and popcorn chicken might not be the best combination for Graeme. Let’s just say his stomach wasn’t quite as impressed with the evening’s activities as the rest of us! Graeme quickly scurried off to deal with the consequences of his pre-show nutritional choices. Clearly, popcorn chicken and Fight Club aren’t the ideal combination!
Spending time with the lads gave me a real insight into the people behind the music. It’s clear these three share a genuine bond. There’s plenty of banter, a healthy amount of mischief and an obvious friendship that shines through both on and off stage. What I particularly admire is that, despite having day jobs and all the usual commitments that come with everyday life, this band is clearly a huge passion for them. Driving all the way down from Scotland is no small undertaking, especially when you’re balancing music with everything else life throws at you. It takes dedication, determination and a genuine love of what you do.
These boys aren’t just turning up for a gig. They’re putting in the miles because they believe in their music, and that deserves recognition.
A DARKER SIDE TO ANCHOR LANE
Before we get to showtime, I want to give their new single ‘Nightmare’ a special mention.
What a fantastic track! It’s dark, gritty and has a slightly heavier edge while still retaining that unmistakable Anchor Lane sound. There’s a real sense of atmosphere to it, and it shows the band aren’t afraid to explore a darker side of their musical identity. It’s got attitude, bite and plenty of punch, and it’s certainly one I’d recommend giving a listen to. The artwork accompanying the single also deserves a mention. A little shout-out to @asylumseventy7 for creating such striking artwork to complement the track. It’s always great to see the visual side of a release given just as much thought as the music itself. There’s something exciting about seeing a band develop their sound while still holding on to the elements that make them instantly recognisable. And with that, the wrestling was over, the popcorn chicken drama had settled down, and Conor’s black eye was well and truly part of the evening’s story. It was time to put the mischief aside and get down to business.
SHOWTIME – LET THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL COMMENCE!
Finally, ladies and gentlemen, it was time for what we’d all been waiting for!
The boys took to the stage and kicked things off with their new single ‘Nightmare’, and what a way to set the scene for the evening! From the opening notes, you could feel the energy shift in the room. This wasn’t going to be an ordinary Saturday night down the pub. The intimate surroundings of Leo’s were about to get a serious dose of Scottish rock ‘n’ roll! Now, I’d already had the pleasure of seeing these boys bring the house down at Maid of Stone Festival, where they absolutely blew me away. But seeing them in a venue like Leo’s gave me a completely different appreciation of just how good they really are.
In fact, I’d go as far as saying that their recorded tracks simply don’t do them justice. Don’t get me wrong, the songs are fantastic, but seeing Anchor Lane live takes everything up several notches. There’s an intensity, an energy and a rawness to their performance that you just can’t quite capture through your headphones.
Individually brilliant, together absolutely lethal!
Conor is like a wound-up spring, bouncing around the stage with as much energy as a Labrador that’s just been let off its lead. He’s got bags of charisma, infectious enthusiasm and a real knack for drawing you into the performance. You can’t help but watch him. He’s completely in his element, giving everything he’s got and making sure there’s never a dull moment.
Then there’s Connor on guitar. Honestly, that boy is FIRE! His guitar work adds another layer of attitude and power to the band’s sound, and watching him at work is an absolute pleasure. There’s a confidence to his playing, and he certainly knows how to deliver those riffs with plenty of bite.
And holding the whole thing together is Graeme behind the drums. What a powerhouse! His drumming drives the band forward, providing that solid, pounding backbone that gives Anchor Lane their distinctive punch. He’s the engine room of this trio, keeping everything welded together while bringing an incredible amount of energy to the performance.
It’s quite something to watch three musicians feed off each other’s energy like this. There’s a natural chemistry between them, and you can see just how comfortable they are playing together. Every guitar riff, every drumbeat and every vocal builds on the last.
For me personally, ‘Ministry’ is a firm favourite of mine, although I’m clearly becoming a rather devoted fan now! However, I was particularly pleased to see them add ‘Bitter’ to tonight’s setlist. It’s always exciting when a band throws something into the mix that perhaps you weren’t expecting, and it was a fantastic addition to the evening.
I also really enjoyed the slower number they introduced around halfway through the set. With so much energy coming from these three, it was a welcome change of pace and gave everyone a chance to catch their breath before the next onslaught of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s easy for a band to keep the volume turned up and the energy levels high, but knowing when to pull things back and give a song room to breathe is just as important. That little change of tempo worked beautifully and added another dimension to the set.
What really struck me throughout the evening was just how much these boys clearly enjoy what they do. There’s no standing around going through the motions here. They’re completely invested in the music, and that enthusiasm is infectious. Even in such a small room, they manage to create a sound and atmosphere that feels absolutely enormous.
Having seen them on a much bigger festival stage, I can honestly say they’re just as impressive in a smaller venue. In fact, there’s something rather special about seeing a band like this up close, where you can appreciate every little detail of their performance and feel every beat coming through the room.
And that’s exactly why I love intimate live music venues. You get to experience bands without the barriers, the distance or the huge festival crowds. It’s just the musicians, their instruments and an audience who are there because they genuinely love live music.
A BAND WORTH GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR!
If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Anchor Lane live yet, then please, please put them on your list. These boys deserve recognition for the hard work, dedication and sheer passion they put into their music. Having day jobs, travelling the length of the country and still finding the time and energy to get out there and perform is no small achievement. I also think we need to talk about the state of live music. Since Covid, I feel that live events have taken a massive knock, and it’s more important than ever that we get ourselves back out there supporting the grassroots venues, promoters and bands who keep the live music scene alive. We can’t keep saying we want to discover new music and then not turn up to support the people making it happen.
There is nothing quite like getting together with your friends on a Saturday night, getting a little sweaty in a packed-out room, singing along, throwing a few shapes and rocking out to some proper live music. It’s an experience you simply cannot recreate sitting at home scrolling through Spotify. And bands like Anchor Lane are exactly why we need to keep doing it.
So, to Conor, Connor and Graeme, thank you once again for such a brilliant evening. Thank you for the laughs, the behind-the-scenes chaos, the wrestling entertainment (although perhaps we should keep Conor away from Graeme in the ring next time!), and, most importantly, for delivering one hell of a rock show. You’ve gone from three handsome Scotsmen I accidentally befriended in a coffee queue to a band I genuinely cannot wait to see again.
I have a feeling this won’t be the last time I’ll be writing about you! Keep doing what you’re doing, lads. Keep making the music, keep putting in the miles and keep bringing that incredible energy to every stage you step on.
I absolutely cannot wait to see you again, wherever that may be.
Much love and rock ‘n’ roll!
Jess Bea
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