Words and Images: Joseph Murphy

Heaviness and light, contrasting genres mixed and matched, but it really just works. That was my overall impression from yet another Wolfie’s mixer, with the accelerative Portraits of Rocky Thomas (P.O.R.T for S.H.O.R.T) and the spellbindingly fun Leah Wilcox.

After missing last month’s get-together, I popped down to The Hawley to check out the sounds of that night, and most importantly, get you a sneak into what I believe are two of the most underrated bands humming around the UK. Once again, the team at Wolfie’s have their radars blinking and their phasers set for stunningly good artists.

Firstly, we were introduced to the brilliant Leah Wilcox. After cutting about the open mic scene in Derby since aged 15, Leah and her fantastic backing band are all the fun of CMAT, crossed with the whittling melancholia of Adrianne Lenker, served up with a side of the late great Dolly Parton.

“I went to study music in Birmingham, which was where I met all these lovely people,” said Leah, I think, with music, you really get out what you put in. You don’t need to go to uni to get in to playing or writing, you just need to pick it up.”

Leah and the group started by talking about one of their latest tracks, ‘Hollywood’ and the studio time:

“We all went on holiday to Wales to a studio. It was just the most beautiful place. It’s totally normal for a 22-year-old girl to have a wine subscription too, so naturally we took quite a few bottles.

“I woke up the next morning and we all had our lock screens set to the same picture, then the song was born”.

“It sounds like it’s all about going to America, but it’s actually a love song to Paul Hollywood.”

Noting that ‘he’s a bit dishy, but he knows it’, the song firmly seats itself next to the Jamie Oliver petrol station, as excellent songs about British celebrity chefs. Simply fun, strong vocal hooks and resounding guitars, the song even manages to sneak the bake-off star’s name in morse code throughout.

A personal favourite, ‘Origami Flowers’ shows off the softness, yet full nature of Leah’s vocal tones, in a passionate note to longing love. Building a certain notion of ‘country-gaze’, the song is distinctly pop, but for those into a hazy Americana. I for one will be keeping a watchful eye for the next release, awaiting whichever direction Leah and the group’s next drop heads in.

And now for something completely different. Clad in clean, pressed outfits, P.O.R.T is serving up a distinctly clean visual, countering their strongly anthemic, Brit rock style. Hailing from Italy, the group have travelled far and wide hunting for top spots to play, dropping in to The Hawley to provide us with delicious melodies inspired by Pablo Honey, labelling themselves as a melting pot of inspirations. With funk, northern and Motown soul as inspiration, backed by Hacienda style and steeped in all the clean tones and dirt of the early 90s grunge, it just simply clicks somehow.

Singer Ali and Guitarist Leo explain their origins: “The idea of P.O.R.T came together in 2024, when we were living in Brighton. I’d been in some bands before but I hadn’t released anything in a few years, so I had some material. Leo was in another group and said that we should put something together.”

The group headed up their debut show in November, with a glowing reception from the audience in Florence. The group agrees they all realised something, “this is real now, something is actually happening.”

Ali describes the complicated layout for the band: “nothing is really done on the spot, but it all sort of is at the same time. I live in London, Leo lives in New York, Jack (Drums) and Matt (Bass) both still live in Italy. So everything has to be planned in advance.”

“We managed to get down to a studio in South London, belonging to the drummer of Sterile Love. The place was an absolute toy shop for instruments, and he’s a luthier. The guitars we got to use, they’re like driving a Ferrari.”

The group’s plans are set firmly on one thing, more music. Secretively, they tell me that something is on the way. Whether it’s a tour or an album or a single collection, they’re tight lipped. But we’ll be staying tuned, and I’ll be poking the bear to see if they’ll bite.