Matt Breen of the Endings. Picture by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. April 16th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ****
When Matt Breen walked on stage at the Cavern Pub in 2011, armed with only a guitar, cracking lyrics and an attitude that you sometimes think is missing from new bands today; it wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to think of this young man, not even 17 at the time, and his excellent group The Endings, going further and better than is normally possible for a band so young.
However to use a football parlance within the realms of music, it seems as if you are good enough, you are old enough. If that means being considered good enough to open a night of high quality music at the o2 Academy and being more than able to hold your own in an excitable atmosphere, then not only should you be considered good but in superb musical company in Liverpool.
The Endings are Matt Breen on vocals, keyboards and guitar, Nessa Murray on bass, Adam Holmes on lead guitar and Alex Davies and collectively they are amongst a select few bands of the new era that with a bit of luck take the Liverpool music scene onwards into the 21st century and match the high standards set them by the great figures of past.
The band opened up their set with some real crackers including I Don’t Know Who You Are Anymore, Tell Me Why? and the impressive and guitar crunching Katy. Even though the band were cramped in on the stage by the other two bands’ gear, the foursome coped admirably well and it’s with much anticipation that within a very short while the full fury of the groups incredible presence will be keenly felt on a stage that suits them more.
The song When The Lights Dim Down had the feel of classic Deacon Blue with Matt’s and Nessa’s beautiful harmonies coming across to the audience in a way that held some spellbound.
The band finished the night with a marvellous cover version of the Coldplay song Fix You. It really is a shame The Endings were not given more time on stage as there surely will come a time when this splendid young band will be one of the biggest to come from the area.
Ian D. Hall