ThisIsTheMusic

London’s iconic Scala played host to a special night for the grassroots indie scene on May 15th, as a stacked bill featuring Chris Daley, Hazy Sundays, and co-headliners, Peter Azzopardi and Maze, showing the 400+ strong crowd that the grassroots indie scene is alive and thriving. What made this gig even more impressive is that it was put on without any management backing or label support. Just two artists (Maze and Peter) who dreamt big.

Compèred by ThisIsTheMusic and held together by the legendary Tommy McGuinness from The Marquis spinning tunes between sets, the atmosphere inside Scala felt less like a gig and more like a celebration of everything that makes the grassroots scene so vital.

Chris Daley Opens The Night In Style

Opening the evening, Chris Daley immediately grabbed the attention of the early crowd with a set full of melodic songwriting and powerful vocals. Chris’s songs carried real emotional weight throughout, in particular We’re Still Dreaming but Happiness proved to be a standout, with Daley showcasing both warmth and intensity in equal measure.

It was the perfect opening statement for what would become a memorable night.

Hazy Sundays Blow The Roof Off Scala

By the time Hazy Sundays took to the stage, the atmosphere inside Scala had shifted up several gears.

Electrifying from start to finish, the Scottish outfit delivered a ferocious set that genuinely felt like it was blowing the roof off the venue. Gig-goers could be heard throughout the night talking about just how impressed they were by the band’s energy, swagger and sheer musicianship.

Tracks like Off The Cuff and Hear The Truth exploded into life live, but it was Marko Devlin on lead guitar who repeatedly stole the spotlight. His playing throughout the set was sensational, but on Off The Cuff in particular, he was absolutely on fire, ripping through lead lines with confidence, flair and real rock ’n’ roll attitude.

Hazy Sundays didn’t just win over the crowd, they announced themselves as a band ready for much bigger stages.

Peter Azzopardi Delivers Huge Singalong Moments

Co-headliner Peter Azzopardi showcased exactly why he is such a great songwriter.

Backed by a superb live band, Azzopardi’s set balanced heartfelt songwriting with massive crowd-pleasing moments. Walk Away sounded like it had been transported straight out of the golden age of the 90s indie scene, carrying a timeless quality that connected with the audience.

Elsewhere, Joan, Hello Geezer and When We Were Young sparked huge singalong moments inside Scala. There’s a real authenticity to Azzopardi’s songwriting, songs built from lived experience, personality and sharp storytelling, that hit harder live.

Maze Deliver A Euphoric Headline Triumph

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.

Maze arrived in a blaze of glory, walking onstage to Ocean Colour Scene’s The Riverboat Song, behind a giant Maze banner, before frontman, Gary Davies appeared from nowhere with a huge roar of appreciation from the crowd.

From the first song to the last, all songs were greeted like anthems, with the packed-out venue singing every word back at the top of their voices.

Fresh from releasing their brilliant new album All Bets Are Off, the band showcased five tracks from the record throughout the set, including the Britpop-infused rush of I’ve Got A Feeling, the euphoric Four Seasons, fan favourite and David Bowie inspired Ziggy, and the psychedelic glow of One Day At A Time.

Every song landed with huge impact, but the loudest reactions of the night arrived during We’ve Seen Them All and the mass singalong closer Twisted Little Soul. The latter saw the band joined onstage by some familiar faces, Alfie Knapman, Amanda Greenwood Hancock, Sophie Bassom, Tommy McGuinness, Shaun Kenny (Hazy Sundays) and ThisIsTheMusic, leading the crowd in singing (admittedly “questionable”) the songs chorus.

But none of that mattered. Inside Scala, Twisted Little Soul stopped feeling like just another song, it felt like a hymn.

A Huge Night For Grassroots Indie Music

From Chris Daley’s powerful opening set, to Hazy Sundays’ electrifying performance, Peter Azzopardi’s huge singalong moments and Maze delivering a euphoric headline triumph, this was a night that perfectly captured why grassroots indie music continues to thrive.

A special evening inside one of London’s most iconic venues and one that nobody in attendance will be forgetting any time soon.