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They are preparing for a summer at the country’s best music festivals, but first Portsmouth band Crystal Tides have played their biggest headline gig so far.

The five-piece wowed fans at Engine Rooms in Southampton after lively support sets from Birmingham’s The Clause and Manchester’s Covasettes.

Frontman Billy Gregory, guitarists Harry Knowles and Neil Cripps, bassist George Reagan and drummer Joe Knight played the music that has won them slots at Tramlines, Truck, and Kendall Calling festivals in the Road To Victorious competition, as voted for by their fans – before a homecoming at Victorious Festival in Southsea in August.

And as well as favourite songs like Headcase and Honey, fans were treated to the first ever live play of a future single called Detonate, which is another tune that will win over more supporters.

Crystal Tides at Engine Rooms, Southampton on June 9. Picture by Rhona Murphy

It’s a long way back to this band’s first shows at smaller venues like Heartbreakers before sold out gigs at The Joiners and The Wedgewood Rooms. Now, with three guitars in the line-up, there is less pop and more rock, but the band’s ear for a melody hasn’t changed. These songs are made for the big stages.

Frontman Billy told how the band had vowed to one day headline this venue after supporting South Yorkshire titans The Sherlocks here in March 2020 and he even admitted to ‘choking up’ during the first song on realising the accomplishment of their ambition.

But with doors opening all the time around the country, this gig is likely to soon be just another milestone for a band who are already the biggest act on the south coast without an album release.

Crystal Tides play The Castle Stage at Victorious Festival on Saturday, August 26 and support The Sherlocks at The Engine Rooms, Southampton on Friday, October 20. Tickets at

thesherlocksmusic.co.u

Crystal Tides at Engine Rooms, Southampton: 'Songs made for the big stages' | Review