Dear CAROLINE’s sucker-punching gig at The Blind Tiger on Friday, April 14 was a showcase of young Bolton musical talent, setting a bar for adolescent alt-rockers across Greater Manchester.

Hot from the same-day release of their latest single, ‘Caroline’, a short track of reflection bursting with pop rock eloquence, sure to glue your finger to the repeat button, the five-piece delivered a fast-paced set, free-flowing through the venue.

Support slots from The Laurel Canyon and Blond Blood explored expansive corners of youthful indie rock, a short journey from ambient folk to blues-fused power punk. Before Bliss, riff-driven and all grunged up, set the stage for the headliners, all the while flirting with psychedelia.

Fresh-faced and hair-trimmed (about time, Joe Prior, guitar and vocals), Dear CAROLINE sent shock waves through Bolton’s musical gem, a venue set to host Manchester punk heroes, The Blinders on Sunday at B Festival.

Opening with bruiser, ‘Crooked Hand’, the cult rockers were energetic, erratic, and had a tightness that can’t be taught, as they beat the stage with a series of colossal collisions, ‘Medicine’ making us jerk and lurch.

Closing with their new single, the band are undoubtedly only just beginning. With their accessible but abstract sound, the lyrical extraordinaires left a mark on the venue we shouldn’t ignore, and one that Sunday’s crop will struggle to match.