Until I was handed the five track ‘Crazy’ EP, I had never heard of The Charlie Rivers Band, a four piece from Tunbridge Wells with their fresh sound and catchy melodies. So when I heard that they were playing at Bar 2 Far, a place associated more with evening drinking and weekend parties then with hosting gigs I was intrigued.

Upon entering the venue, I immediately noticed that the crowd was small. There was no stage, instead a corner that had been sectioned off which created a sense of intimacy between the audience and the bands. As the first act ended their set to a warm round of applause, The Charlie Rivers Band were quickly introduced and took their places. The Rock/Pop band consisted of guitarist and lead singer/songwriter Charlie Rivers, drummer Ashley Rushman, guitarist Steve McCormack, and bassist Steve Bassett.

With a quick hello from the frontman, they went straight into their first song 'Situation’, a track which opens with a stunning thirty second instrumental and is taken from their recently released album, ‘Tender Chaos’. A new track 'So Tired' was next, followed by another album track 'Room In Your Life’ that could be likened to the sound of John Mayer. 'Lets Start a War’ from the EP is a faster paced song littered with smooth vocals, solid harmonies and striking riff work. A new track 'Know that I Care' which does not appear on either the album or the EP is a much darker tune showing the band’s versatility.

The pace of the set was then taken down by the heart-felt ballad 'No Where Worse' a song which is a testament to Charlie's ability to write emotionally. Finally the encore 'Crazy', the rockier track and the first song released from the album ended the set and hopefully would be the start to a long career for The Charlie Rivers Band.