Spacecadetbloom/ House Proud/ Misting @ The Ship Isis (Sunderland)
20/2/26
Friday night on Wearside would bring a trio of emerging acts to the shores of The Ship Isis. Misting would play their first gig outside of Leeds, North East powerhouses House Proud would play their first Sunderland gig in a minute, as fellow North East Shoegazers Spacecadetbloom would play their first headline show.
A star-shaped stamp on the back of the hand confirmed entry. Hum's 'Stars' and Sonic Youth's 'Catholic Block' are two of many guitar-centric tracks that play out before Misting take to stage.
Misting - 19:30
Misting are a four-piece consisting of frontwoman India Davies, bassist Alex Howles, drummer Rhys Jones and guitarist Finn Johnson. Their Instagram bio simply reads 'Leeds Emo/Post-hardcore band'.
From the first note ringing out it's apparent it's gong to be a loud one - it's the equivalent of the light hitting your eyes after a bout of Sunlessness; ear-splitting.
Alex has a rigorous swaying motion as he plays. He beats the back of his guitar as the opening track ‘Cobweb’ comes to a close.
"We are Misting. We're gonna keep revolving. This next one's 'Kingston'."
India's voice goes from frostbitten, shredded to sweet and innocent. At times, a demon is channelled through the frontwoman - if you're familiar with The Exorcist, it's within that ballpark.
Misting are heavy on the low end - their sound lives in a swamp-state. It's loud enough that you can hear songs, like ghosts, behind the song. The Ship Isis is supposedly haunted, so you do indeed never know.
"This is our first out of Leeds gig! It's so exciting."
One particular gig-goer takes the time to bust a groove, and many, many moves. As the night moved on, he would be joined by another groover - groover #1 and #2.
"This next one's called 'Elderflower'. It's the first song we ever wrote. We've been a band for over a year now, so it's been a really long time."
Like a flower, it's slow to open; like a flower, it does indeed bloom. The guitars start out clean, and make their way into the realm of disgusting....ly good.
Swigs of water are gulped to soothe the assumed-if-not-guaranteed throat-strain.
Guitarist Finn leads the way with a bittersweet set of guitar bits as bassist Alex tears open the sonic-gate for the song to move through.
"This is the last fast one from our set. This one's called 'Terrified’."
Misting imbue a mix of Grungy, Midwest-Emo-y type stuff - heartfelt and simultaneously heartbroken.
"This last one's called ‘Chemicals’."
The bass has a very airy feel to it - washed out and wide. The lyrics and the bass go well together - they accentuate one another. The guitars and pulled-back drums further fuel said partnership. The track takes a grimy turn. Misting do the sweet-to-sour sonic-jump quite well.
Bassist Alex lies down as if to catch his breath - he seems to have a word with drummer Rhys. I later find out that they missed out on an opportunity to extend the final song. Opportunities are missed, but life must go on.
Misting's Setlist:
Cobweb
Kingston
Saint, of mine
Msi
Elderflower
Ode(interlude)
Terrified
Chemical
Cole Lynch of House Proud getting set up.
House Proud - 20:15
House Proud released their debut EP 'Choices' in November of 2025. Said project would make its way onto my Top 20 EP's of said year.
Scott Hays of Black Rain, soundman Phil Jackson and Ben Martin of House Proud have a chat stage-side as House Proud dial up their tones and set up their stuff. Cole has his top off - a move usually left for later in the gig - before the gig begins.
The band tease their opener, 'Barber', as they ask the audience to move closer to them. They ask, and they receive - the crowd get nice and snug to the stage.
'Barber' sets the tone with its twinkly intro - the calm before the storm.
There's no time for messing about - straight into track two, 'Choices'. Drummer Cole Lynch mouths the words as he plays. House Proud muster up yet another sound heavy in low end. The guitars cut through like a blade through butter.
"We haven't played Sunderland in a while. We've played some weird places. We played 'Boro the other week."
Sounds akin to a beautifully choked bird courtesy of James Dryburgh lead us into the next track '10 Things'. I've heard them play it before, but as far as I can tell it is yet to make it to the studio. Between the three of Ben, Rory (Maclean) and James sees the track twist around vocal interplay.
Frontman Ben takes his jacket off. Someone in the audience says "yes, get yer claes off”.
House Proud perform their second official single ‘Farmers’. Members of Misting are right up front, and take the full weight of the sound, although you can't escape it no matter where you are.
Once again, we're straight into the next, and another unreleased, track 'This Might Not Work'. Rory's bass opens the House Proud portal. Like slabs of butter bubbling from your ears, it rings heavy.
Cole seemingly malfunctions on drums as Rory fixes his pedalboard. A quick drum-sprint is had as guitars squeal and bury deep, deep, deep into earholes.
EP closer 'What Do You See' steers us closer to the end of the set.
"We've got two songs left."
King Krule on steroids is the best way to describe 'That Wasn't the Plan'. The breakdown-y bits within the song may just be my favourite moment/s of House Proud material thus far.
House Proud close on ‘Rescue Dog’, their debut single released via Sunderland's Serial Bowl Records.
"Spacecadetbloom up next. Enjoy. Everyone get home safe."
House Proud's setlist:
Barber
Choices
10 Things
Farmers
This Might Not Work
What Do You See
That Wasn't the Plan
Rescue Dog
Spacecadetbloom - 21:00
Spacecadetbloom have released two singles - 'Why Would I Lie?' and 'Playing Cards' - so far in their time as a band. Bassist Harry rocks an 'I Should Coco' Supergrass shirt.
A quick "Hello." and we're off with 'Tower of God'.
Will, in his red jumper, further reddened by the red lights in the Ship Isis, and with his baby blue guitar, whips up swirling worlds that certainly fit the Shoegaze aesthetic that the band lean into.
"Thanks for coming down. It's our first headline show. Pretty cool. Here's a new(ish) song."
The song is so new that it is yet to be named. Spacecadetbloom can actually write songs both instrumentally and lyrically - they don't pander or seek sympathy. The band’s debut single 'Why Would I Lie?' opens a sonic void within the Ship Isis.
Photo courtesy of Kieran Whitfield @kw.visualss
Members of Misting are once again front and centre; Members of House Proud watch on from the back of the room, one eye on the merch stand.
"This one's called 'Nearest Room'. It used to sound nothing like this. We hope you like it."
There's a funky bassline that underlies it; it's sophisticatedly simple - the balance that everyone is in search of. They're as solid a unit as they come when they find that super-tight-knit, locked-in essence to flow through. One gig-goer pulls out a handheld fan; for practicality or for aesthetical purposes, who knows? The heat is certainly rising.
"This song is ‘Almost Always'.“
Matty's a menace with his hi-hat game. Stop-start basslines move the track to-and-fro. Spacecadetbloom have a joke about the next track and how it may be "the worst thing you've ever heard". It doesn't sound bad to me.
The one-two of 'Snow' and new track 'Ceiling' leads into the band's latest single in 'Playing Cards'.
A gig-goer, groover #2, mouths the words "fucking hell man" as he stares around wide-eyed as if to say CAN YOU SEE/HEAR/FEEL THIS? He's enjoying himself, and I echo his sentiments.
Fast-paced and funky, they close their set with 'Bloom'. Drummer Matty's either got two bass kicks or three feet. A post-gig discovery is that there's only one bass kick, and he only has two feet!
"Thank you's for coming down. See you at the next one, maybe?"
Spacecadetbloom's setlist:
Tower of God
Drop d Song (no name)
Why Would I Lie?
Nearest Room
Almost Always
Snow
Ceiling (new one)
Playing Cards
Bloom
*All photos below are courtesy of Kieran Whitfield - @kw.visualss
