On Friday, local indie-folk band Lion Papers returned to Fibbers for their latest headline show, this time bringing along Mice On Mars, Fossa and The Receivers. We headed down to see how the guys are getting on.

Review and Photos by Graeme Smith

Opening the night were local punk four-piece Mice On Mars. With clear influences from the likes of The Doors, Madness and oi! bands from the early ’80s, they delivered a rousing and energetic set. Irreverent in every way, they took shots at the establishment and got the blood in the room pumping. Sadly, we’re about to lose them to The Big Smoke, but they said farewell in style with set closer The Scapegoat.

The evening took a change of pace when dreamy math rock four-piece Fossa took to the stage. Seemingly new to the York scene, the band was fronted by singer-songwriter Amber Warren and also featured Faux Pas’s Joey Leyland on drums. A spirited Morgan Lindley provided the plinky electric guitar while Amber sang and played keys. Together they created an expansive and ambient sound with set highlight being Washing Machine.

Then it was time for up and comers The Receivers. Beginning their set with an Editors-esque intro they segued naturally into traditional indie rock. Since we last caught them earlier this year, they’ve built their set, introducing new song You Don’t Talk among others. They closed with 21 which featured big drums and even bigger riffs. With an EP on its way on 15 September and a their own headline at Fibbers shortly after, they proved once again that they are ones to watch.

With such a strong showing from the supports, it was difficult to see how an acoustic duo would prove their place at the top of the bill. Craftily, they came to the stage as a four-piece, with the Jimmy and Curtis joined by new band members on electric guitar and bass (the latter being taken up by Fossa’s Morgan Lindley.)

The extended line-up proved a good move, giving their set a richer sound, most notably during the intro build up of Long Time Coming. They did return to a stripped back duo for Velveteen before the full band returned to smash through upbeat hits Amelia, Anticlimax and encore Seas of Green.

The rich sound was met equally by Lion Papers’ passion and energy, particularly during set opener Beautiful Disaster and their cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy. Judging from their performance on Friday, Lion Papers are simply going from strength to strength.

Mice on Mars, Fossa, The Receivers and Lion Papers played at Fibbers on Friday 11 August 2017.