When my 14 year old daughter asked me to book tickets for the gig way back in July, I did so slightly ignorant to the appeal or indeed popularity of Chvrches and who their following actually were.
Well roll on several months, and most of the tour is sold out, including 2 nights at Manchester’s 2000 capacity Albert Hall. One of Manchester’s newest venues, and in my opinion one of their best due to the height of the stage which affords a great view from wherever you may stand.
The night was cold, wet and dark (is there any other kind in Manchester ?) but the atmosphere inside the venue was akin to a Christmas party night with large groups of guys and girls using this gig as the start of a heavy weekend.
When the diminutive Lauren Mayberry took centre stage just after 9pm, against a black backdrop studded with white light pinpricks, the crowd went berserk, and this was rewarded with Never Ending Circles from second album Every open Eye. Although not a huge departure from debut album The Bones of What You Believe, the synth pop format just seems expanded and more, er, sythny, but with just as many fabulous tunes.
We Sink was the next tune, from debut album, and the noise was turned up a notch as the familiarity of the song really got the dance floor bouncing.
The simple stage arrangement - just 2 sets of keyboards/laptops stage left and right manned by fellow Scots Iain Cook and Martin Doherty was occasionally supplemented by a mobile drum kit which Lauren played.
The band alternated songs between their 2 albums, and the talk with the crowd was minimal I guess not to interrupt the party atmosphere, although when Lauren brought a slushy on stage with her towards the end, she was encouraged to down it in one.
Just an hour into the performance and the band left the stage, but seemingly not a soul left as we hadn’t yet heard the favourite tune yet...
First encore was the rather downbeat and sombre Afterglow, which Lauren almost apologised for, before launching into everyones favourite The Mother We Share and the crowd made the most of it as we knew it was the last tune of the night.
A genuinely joyous night of great pop tunes, enjoyed by everyone young and old, and not a guitar in sight...
Keith
