Currently on tour with US surf-grungers Howler, Broken Hands are a band of big tunes and tight rhythms that any alt-rock fan should check out right away.

On a dark and dreary day at Birmingham’s Institute on Friday, I was fortunate enough to get shelter from the rain by watching Howler perform. And to my great fortune, Broken Hands – a band I had heard of but never really listened to – were the second support act. They were on after local band Elephantine – a good act if you’re into heavy shoegaze-esque sounds with regular tempo changes – and they absolutely ruled the night. Some might even argue that they gave Howler a run for their money.

Without giving away too much, the band are an excellent live act. Aside from the powerful sounds and well-crafted songs, the band’s stage presence is phenomenal. I’ve always been a sucker for a band that have some life on stage, and Broken Hands fit straight into this. The frontman isn’t boring or static for a moment – it’s not quite Future Islands-grade slightly cringe-inducing movement, but it’s enough for the performance to be both emotive and entertaining. Definitely one to check out.

The band are still on tour with Howler and are set to perform at Hyde Park in support of Black Sabbath on July 4, so there are plenty of opportunities to go and check them out. They’ve recently put out a single called ‘No One Left To Meet’ that is pretty defining of their sound. You can listen to it here.