- Live Reviews
If you want a spectacular setting for a concert and you're not too keen on the annual quagmirefest hosted in the Isle of Avalon then how about a stage between a Rainforest and a Mediterranean climate in a quarried out bowl in Cornwall. The Eden Project near St Austell has been hosting the Eden Sessions since 2002 in this very location and tonight's show is billed as PJ Harvey plus Special Guest. Those of us who got here early enough to make use of the Eden Project pass which is included in the cost of the gig ticket and represents great value for money, saw Jehnny Beth from Savages sound-checking and worked out who the Special Guest was. It's best we let Jehnny explain why she's here “My friend Polly asked me to play some songs tonight and you don't say no to Polly Jean Harvey”, and possibly PJ Harvey had a spare seat on the bus back from Glastonbury.
Whilst Jehnny's stage attire is the usual black and white combination, in a marked contrast to the often intense and brutal Savages live show she sits at the piano and plays 30 minutes of touching and beautiful ballads, finishing with a version of 'Adore', from the most recent Savages album which she says was originally written on the piano.
All dressed in black and wearing a crown of raven feathers PJ Harvey accompanied by her nine-piece band slow march onto stage. The slow march is to the beat of funeral drums which half the band are playing, the other half playing brass for the intro to 'Chain of Keys' from 'The Hope Six Demolition Project'. The first five tracks tonight are all from the new album , the highlight being 'The Community of Hope' which criticises the Hope VI regeneration project in Ward 7, Washington D.C, the chorus of “They're gonna put a Walmart here”; being the unlikely solution.
The instantly recognisable intro to 'Let England Shake' starts a triple whammy from that Mercury award winning album. The band co-ordinate hand clamps through the “ What if I take my problem to the United Nations” lines from 'The Words that Maketh Murder'. Polly says virtually nothing during the show but she embellishes the songs through mime and movement ; during 'This Glorious land' she turns to the band and demands of them “ And what is this glorious fruit of our land ?” to get the response from the band “Its fruit is deformed children”.
The set list is dominated by tracks from the two most recent albums, but towards the end of the show there are three older tracks : John Parish hammering out the guitar riff to '50ft Queenie' with Polly throwing shapes around him; 'Down by the River' and its creepy “Little Fish, Big Fish swimming in the water ...” outro and 'To Bring you My Love'. The main set finishes with a melancholic and haunting 'River Anacostia', the band removed of all of their instruments for the acapella outro “Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water” as they slow march depart from the stage as they arrived to the sound of the funeral drums.
They return for single song encore of 'Near the Memorials to Vietnam and Lincoln' before taking their bows, thank you and good-nights. These brilliant, flawless musicians and Polly's hypnotic, commanding stage presence in this beautiful setting puts this show amongst the most memorable of the year.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
So here we are again, Neil Young at the O2 Arena in London. This time the band are, ‘The Promise of the Real’ a young band that, Neil really sparks off.
Laura Marling and band pull off a sparkling support slot which bodes well for her headline spot at The Green Man festival in August as as 8.30 pm approaches, the lights dim and there is Neil sitting at his battered piano singing, ‘After The Gold Rush’ then, he picks up a battered acoustic guitar and we get ‘Heart Of Gold’, ‘From Hank To Hendrix’ and ‘The Needle And The Damage Done’. The solo slot concludes with Neil at the organ for ‘Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)’. Its one of the most magical openings to a concert for a long time.
The Promise of the Real are Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar), Anthony Logerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass), and Tato Melgar (percussion). Lukas is the son of Willie Nelson, a long time buddy of Neil Young. These guys are a band in their own right, three albums old and they step on the stage for ‘Out On The Weekend’ from Harvest’, the set continues with ‘Western Hero’, from 'Sleeps with Angels",‘Hold Back The Tears’, ‘Someday’ from ‘Freedom’ and back to Harvest for ‘Alabama’.
The set is really bringing out some some long lost live songs, it seems London is in for a treat tonight. ‘If I Could Have Her Tonight’ from the 1968 album ‘Neil Young’ follows, Words up next then our first visit to ‘On the Beach’ with ‘Walk On’.
Then we have the elongated wig-out to ‘Love To Burn’ and a trip to Ragged Glory’ for ‘Mansion On The Hill’. ‘Seed Justice’ is from upcoming album ‘Earth’ before a mighty ‘Revolution Blues’ is played from ‘On The Beach’ and we are in awe.
Keeping things recent ‘Monsanto Years’ follows, then ‘After The Garden’ from ‘Living with War’, ‘Love And Only Love’ finishes the set and a storming F*!#in' Up complete’s the show.
This was a thinking man’s /women’s set list, not songs that have appeared regularly, a set from a man with a conscience and someone who still has something to say at 70, his songs still resonate that much. If he doesn’t make the point who will?
The Promise of the Real were able to reproduce the songs and style of the many bands that Neil has been part of over the years. It was really quite amazing that you could listen to one band but, shut your eyes and that could have been many different bands. So maybe, we didn’t get all the favourites (don’t forget that start) but what we got, were the rare gems.
Long may this man run!
Pete
Photo: Eilís Boland
SSE Belfast
- Live Reviews
The Joy Formidable visit Nottingham tonight as part of the 'Hitch' tour in support of their new album of the same name. The backdrop has their logo drawn in the characteristic stylings of Gonzo artist Ralph Steadman who drew some of the album's artwork and with whom this reviewer more than once shared a local pub.
The distorted ice-cream van chimes intro to 'The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade' welcomes the band on stage to play that track from the 'A Balloon Called Moaning' EP released way back in 2009. The stage is set up with the drum kit stage left which gives plenty of room for bass player Rhydian Davies and guitarist Ritzy Bryan (with her blonde bob bouncing) to leap and dart around during the meaty instrumental sections of each track. 'The Blimp' starts with a chunky bass riff and during the guitar solo Ritzy displays some of the finest backwards /side sliding around the stage whilst playing since James Dean Bradfield of the Manics; there must be a Welsh School of Rock where they teach this stuff. Ritzy picks out the opening oriental sounding chords of 'Maw Maw Song' from 'Wolf's Law' before the track's monster riff explodes around the room ; fortunately all the references to carnivores doesn't appear to phase the small model of a Welsh Mountain Goat which is positioned on Ritzy's guitar effects board.
Driving the whole show along is Matt Thomas whose drumming style reminds you of an octopus in a tumble dryer in the best possible way. Matt confirms his membership of the 'drummers being slightly mad' club by selecting a striking yellow Hawaiian shirt as opposed to standard black for his stage wear and his star turn during a previous visit to Nottingham which we are told involved dancing and feeding the audience instant mash potato ; an act which was apparently a “Smash hit”- yes he really did say this.
Early single 'Cradle' and the big, bouncy funky drum and bass lines of 'Hitch's', 'The Last Thing on My Mind' get the crowd moving and show TJF have consistently written catchy tunes throughout their career.
The encore starts with the recent single 'Radio of Lips' with its killer chorus “The further I run, The faster you apologise ...”, and after 'Liana' also from 'Hitch' there's a call from the audience to play 'Cradle' again to which Ritzy replys she's learnt two things whilst touring, “Don't play any Chris de Burgh and never play the same song twice” (quite correct on both counts) . The chiming guitars and solid, pounding rhythm accompaniment of 'Whirring' has a little pause halfway through as Ritzy has to retune which gives the boys chance for a funky, jazzy improv workout, though with the general thrashing, squealing feedback which finishes the track I'm not sure the retune made a lot of difference. Guitars are thrown into the amps and it's kisses goodnight as they leave the stage for the final time, confirming once again that The Joy Formidable are definitely a band you need to see live.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
It was so good to be at The Joy Formidable’s gig at Colchester Arts Centre.
They really set the place alive - sonic waves of rock filling the Medieval roof and arches.
The venue is small and intimate with a superb sound so was perfect. (As is the fine selection of beers!)
They kicked off with ‘The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade’ from their excellent first album The Big Roar. They also finished the set with a number off that album ‘The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie’. Finally they finished at the end of the encore with ‘Whirring’ from that same album producing a whirlpool of sound which left us ecstatic.
Many bands use their tour to showcase a new album, but not The Joy Formidable. They played only 3 numbers from their new album Hitch which came out earlier this year (The Last Thing on my Mind, Liana and Radio of Lips) and so the gig was a superb smorgasbord of their rock numbers to date.
They were on top form and looked so pleased to be performing for us. Ritzy was leaping about the stage all smiles and it really came across that the whole band were enjoying the gig and playing for us.
They are only a 3 piece band but sound so much bigger. A blitz of fuzzy guitars sounds from Ritzy accompanying her impressive rock diva vocals. Base arpeggios from Rhydian and strong drumming from Matt. The sounds are multi layered, in harmony with powerful jamming rhythms.
I first saw them at Reading Festival in 2009. I didn’t know them then, but was well impressed. Since then I’ve seen them at a number of Festivals but not at a gig. After this performance I’ll certainly be looking out for their future tours!
Ken
Setlist
The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade
Little Blimp
Passerby
Wolf’s Law
Ostrich
Cradle
The Last Thing on my Mind
Liana
The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie
Encore
Radio of Lips
The Leopard and the Lung
Whirring
- Live Reviews
A pleasant late spring Sunday evening in Nottingham and first on stage is Laura Lee (bass), Mark Speer (guitar) and Donald Johnson (drums), collectively known as Khruangbin from Houston, Texas.
First impression was West Coast psychedelia from this three piece, then came the soul and deep grooves. The usual 30 minutes for a support band just left me wanting more, certainly a band to investigate further!
Just after 9pm and a tall gangly bearded man with the energy of a 5 year old takes the stage with his band, Josh Tillman, A.K.A. Father John Misty then delivers a dynamic musical and visual show, stuffed with the humour that lives and breathes in his songs, this was a captivating 90 minutes.
It’s the ‘Fear Fun’ album that get’s the show started, with ‘Everyman Needs A Companion’, with the stage drenched in green lights, followed by the brilliant ‘Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings’ which just highlighted Josh in dry ice and red light, barely visible. With the driving drum beat, this was an electric start to the set.
Latest album ‘I love you Honeybear obviously gets well represented with much gusto. The quieter moments often get drowned out by crowd noise, but that is just part of gig going in 2016 I suppose if, you stand in earshot of the bar .
Nothing came from the albums in Josh’s own name which was surprising as the songs from these records, are really great. There are however no complaints about this very solid and entertaining gig. Josh has his heart in the right place!
Still dates on the tour, just don't get tempted by the FJM leisurewear trousers on the Merch stall!
Pete
Tue, 17 May Colston Hall, Bristol, Bristol
Wed, 18 May Roundhouse, London
Thu, 19 May Roundhouse, London
Fri, 20 May Roundhouse, London
Sat 21, May O2 Guildhall Southampton
- Live Reviews
It was great to be at the 100 Club in London on the 6th April for The Poses only UK gig of their current European tour.
We like the quirky 100 Club in London for its intimacy. The stage is low (with a large pillar just in front of it) but the room is wide and shallow so can get close to the band.
The band are from Seattle and are Ken Stringfellow on keyboards and guitar, Jon Auer on guitar and Frankie Siragusa on drums. On some of the numbers they were joined by Gizelle Smith who provided some great soulful vocals. We were impressed with their new drummer Frankie. His drumming was enthusiastically brilliant. (Last year the Posies long time drummer Darius sadly died).
As always their songs were full of poetic lyrics and beautiful harmonies. Sometimes you need raw piercing sounds of heavy rock and sometimes you feel like standing on a warm beach and letting the gentle waves of rock wash over you. The Posies sound was the latter. It makes you feel good, but there were some serious lyrics wrapped up in there.
They played all of the tracks on the new album Solid States which is to be released next Friday on 29th April. Other numbers were from previous albums dating back to Frosting On The Beaters of 1993.
On the new album we really like the tracks We R Power which has a faster rhythm, the foot tapping March Climes and meditative like The Sound Of Clouds.
7/11
Ken
Set List
We R Power
Unlikely Places
Squirrel vs Snake
Dream
Scattered
March Climes
Licenses
The Glitter Prize
Sound of Clouds
Rollercoaster Zen
Titanic
The Plague
Throwaway
Please
The Definition
M Doll
Burn
Solar
Radiance
Fucking Liar
Flavor
You’re the Beautiful One
- Live Reviews
Treetop Flyers have been through a lot since their debut album landed in 2013, both personally and professionally, but thankfully they have come through the other side, dropped new album Palomino and are now on a short tour to promote it.
The lovely Day & Night Cafe in the uber hip Northern Quarter of Manchester hosted the band on a cold Thursday April night when their new album was given a run out. Debut album The Mountain Moves seemingly gave the impression of the band as a folk-rock outfit, but Palomino takes several twists and turns and expands their sound significantly to include prog, soul and americana. My first experience of the band was on a sunny festival afternoon, so I was looking forward to the indoor show experience and wasn’t disappointed.
Singer Reid Morrison has the most wonderful soulful and unexpected voice, and various songs on Palomino show it off to its best, including title track You, Darling You, with the rest of the band performing the harmonies.
Several tracks on the album clock in at over the 6 minute mark, and in the live setting, seem even more at home. Keyboard player Sam takes on the vocal duties on Lady Luck, and what a voice he has too by the way, and closer for the night Dance Through The Night will quickly become a live favourite with its funky, proggy, groovy dance beat.
Several other tracks from Palomino made up the set, including Sleepless Nights, 31 Years and Never Been As Hard, along with opener from debut album Things Will Change also gets an airing.
The word joyous came to mind when I first saw them in that field, sitting in the sunshine with a cider, and I’m pleased to report that feeling remains even on a cold dark night in Manchester. Reid was constantly engaging with the audience, the band clearly having a great time playing their new tunes live.
Treetop Flyers are a fabulously talented band, and now they have 2 albums to their name, are able to expand their live repertoire even further. Catch them live to see for yourself, and preferably at a festival in the sun.
Keith @kjsmith4082
Pic below from Leicester gig and taken by Paul.
- Live Reviews
Muse's Drones World Tour returns to the UK after nine months for the first night of the European leg at Birmingham tonight. The spectacular stage built “in the round” consists of a central round stage from which two walkways ending in platforms extend; above the stage is a 360 degree video screen and high in the ceiling are a dozen large globes.
As the house lights dim the globes light up, take off from their platform and float around the arena in a ghostly ballet to the title track of the 'Drones' album. The band who entered from the far corner of the arena emerge from under the stage to the Drill Sergeant “Your ass belongs to me now- Aye Sir”, as the chunky riff intro to 'Psycho' starts up and signals the leaping down the front. The end of 'Psycho' leads into the drums and guitarist Matt Bellamy's fretboard tapping intro to 'Reapers' as the now illuminated floor of the central stage starts rotating giving the audience a decent view regardless of where they are in the arena. The new album has a more stripped back, direct sound when compared with the previous two albums which helps highlight the big chunky guitar riffs and pounding, driving section provided by Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard. The squealing feedback which ends 'Reapers' morphs into the familiar guitar riff and throbbing rhythm of 'Plug In Baby' the chorus of which results in the first big audience sing-along of the night.
During the first pause of the night as Matt welcomes the audience “Hello Birmingham, ...we're back home” to the pounding drum beats of 'Dead Inside' semi-transparent projection screens drop down above the two walkways as animation of the drone being prepared for war plays on the giant screens. This is topped by a stunning use of the technology for 'The Handler'; a sinister pair of eyes appear on the screen above the central stage and above the walkways two giant hands from which strings appear to connect to Chris and Matt controlling their movements as they play the track.
The spheres take flight, change colour and pulse, rotate and dance to accompany 'Super Massive Black Hole' and 'Starlight', during the latter track half a dozen super massive balloons are released for the crowd to play with and as each balloon approaches the stage Chris bursts it with his bass showering the front rows in confetti.
John F Kennedy's speech against political-economic- military complexes forms the intro to a brutal 'Stockholm Syndrome' with an eye-melting, migraine–causing use of the light show. 'Time Is Running Out' and 'Uprising' get more mass audience participation.
Just when you think they've used every spectacular trick in the rock arena play-book they top it all during 'The Globalist'. The whole length of the arena in now being used as a giant projection screen which shows vast cityscapes appearing and being destroyed by the drone, the heavy instrumental section is the cue for a large spaceship to take flight for a lap of the arena and for the big finish a grand piano has risen from under one end of the walkway. The main house lights dim again as the globes resume their ghostly ballet to the backdrop of a depiction of the end of the universe and the ecclesiastical 'Drones' to finish the main set to the sound of jaws hitting the floor and a standing ovation in the arena.
The three track encore starts with 'Take A Bow'; ghostly representatives of the band appear on the screens which dramatically pull back to the ceiling to the huge power-chord near the end of the track to reveal the band. 'Mercy' has a dozen canons blowing drone-shaped confetti into the air and a couple of giant party poppers exploding steamers through the confetti blizzard. All that's left is 'Knights of Cydonia', Chris plays a harmonica which he throws into the front rows, who are fist-pumping during the “la, la, la,...” introduction, and belting out the words to the chorus as they appear on the central screens as Muse play the galloping track and you remember what a great live track it is.
Whilst I understand that advances in technology have allowed what once only existed in the imagination to become reality in a live musical performance, Muse have created the most ambitious, spectacular and successful rock show I've ever seen.
Alisdair Whyte
Note picture from O2 London 3rd April 2016
- Live Reviews
There's a botanical feel in the Bodega tonight as there a couple of mini privet globes on the merch table and on stage pot plants of the ornamental, not pharmacological, variety next to the keyboards. This is the second night of a tour promoting Emma-Lee Moss' (songwriter and lead vocals in Emmy the Great) new album 'Second Love' which was released yesterday.
Opening with the familiar slide guitar of 'Dinosaur Sex' from second album 'Virtue', which compares a personnel relationship to the ultimately futile sex between dinosaurs. The set tonight has a number of tracks from the new album and it's apparent that this new stuff has a fuller sound and more electric guitar, samples and keyboards compared with the mainly acoustic 'First Love' her first album released in 2009. A couple of new tracks 'Dance W Me' and 'Part of Me' are both pretty catchy, simple tunes sung by Emma in her characteristic clean and precise vocals.
In her warm and chatty style, we get a social/ political lesson linking Lord Elgin (he of the marbles), five cities containing SoHo districts, the particular one in Hong Kong being South of Hollywood St where her parents live, being referenced in new track 'Social Halo'. The Phoenix brothers River and Joachim get mentions in another new track 'Phoenixes'; as Emma remembers her teenage bedroom wall posters. 'We Almost Had A Baby' from 'First Love' gets a response of appreciative recognition from the audience.
A faulty sampler lead moves the great 'Paper Forest (in the afterglow of rapture)' up the set list as the band play catchup with the rapid tongue twisters which form the lyrics.
The main set finishes with 'Swimming Pool' the spooky, floaty track released over a year ago and first heard by this reviewer at Deershed Festival last year.
The three track encore features Emma going solo with electric guitar for 'Edward is Deadward', 'Canopies and Grapes/ Canapés and Drapes' depending upon the version you know, during the intro for which Emma discusses updating of lyrics as they consists of two bands who have split and reformed at least once, a TV program which has long finished and musicians who are no longer with us, and that her 2016 version should probably include Netflix and Adele “who should be Queen, we should all be ruled by Adele”, and to finish 'The Easter Parade'.
Despite yet to be familiar with the majority of the set, it's clear from this personable show tonight that Emmy the Great's sound has grown and matured more than the decoration on the merch table is likely to any time soon. Based upon a first listen new album 'Second Love' will be spending a lot of time on my digital turntables this year.
Alisdair Whyte
- Live Reviews
This is my first visit to the Islington assembly hall; the 2009 restored 1930s dancehall was closed for three decades before reopening in 2010. Originally a home for tea parties and variety shows, tonight it plays home to a rock show with 'The Duke Spirit', they themselves returned from a three year live hiatus last October when they played to a sold out crowd at another of London's beautifully restored venues, E1's Wilton’s Music Hall.
Formed 13 years ago at an Art College in Cheltenham, an unfair reaction is 'Duke Spirit... they still going?' With new bass player Rich Fownes (Bad for Lazarus, Unkle, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster) and new album Kin, produced by Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins and Bella Union boss) who also worked on the their 2005 debut, they undoubtable are! The band return from a 5 year break after Liela Moss (vocals) and Toby Butler (guitar) moved to LA to record as electro-rock outfit "Roman Remains" while Oliver Betts (drums) worked on his own side project "FURS" (a personal favourite), co-writing and producing their debut album in 2014.
Relative newcomers and also London based 'KID Wave' act as first support. Eight month's on from their debut release Wonderlust (on Heavenly), the international boy/girl quartet are not shy in supporting established acts, touring the UK with 'Stereophonics' and 'The Vaccines' in Europe. With their setup at the very front of the stage and a decent crowd gathering they have approachability, refreshingly we can see everyone! Lead singer/songwriter Lea Emmery left her native Sweden in 2011 to pursue her dream and form a band in London, that notion alone reminds me of Chrissie Hynde's move in the early 70's to form 'The Pretenders', a band that truly embodies punk pop. Edgy and effortless, 'KID wave' carry that mantle with melodic hooky riffs over grungy guitars; Lea's vocals are deep, but stylistically muffled which frustrates as I would like to hear her soulful tones a little more. Any lack of charisma is carried by strong choruses with radio friendly 'Honey' and 'Gloom' are the picks of the set.
For the headliners the demographic changed, from my seated aerial view any spare floor space in the crowd was now packed with bald heads as the 'Real Ale' drinkers made their way from the back bar. Enter stage The Duke Spirit's Liela Moss, wildly throwing her tambourine into the crowd or just close enough so that it didn't get too lost. This band is clearly adored by their loyal followers, be it the generation that the industry called the '50-quid man'; the traditionalists who had enough disposable income and attention to actually buy CD's, true listeners. The modern incarnation of this it seems is direct-to-fan crowd funding platform 'Pledge Music' through which the band have released their new album and singles ‘Blue and Yellow Light’ and ‘Hands’.
One adorer endearingly stood out for me as he towered against the front barrier with his arms in the air and shouted every lyric to the well groomed 5 piece (we've all been there...). From what I gathered from similar fan reactions, the majority of the set was filled with crowd pleasers from the bands most successful albums, 2011's Bruiser and 2008's Neptune, both of which fell under my radar and hence sounded a little dated as I lacked any real vein of nostalgia. The most exciting moments for me were when the sing-a-longs dulled as Leila announced the new material was being given an airing. Much more dynamic and modern to my ears, with spacious Interpol chiming guitars and atmospheric 'Bat for Lashes' vocals, their softer side could be seen. I think they may have grown out of being the angst driven, London noise rockers doing rhythmic 'Atlantic soul' to something much more interesting.
I will await new album 'Kin' (released this Spring on Ex Voto Records) with baited breath and I hope current as well as new fans learn the words; the cover art is their most interesting yet so who knows I might even buy the CD.
Tom Cavanagh
- Live Reviews
The admission price for the sold out Bill Ryder-Jones show at the Scala in Lonodn was worth it purely for the in-between song banter between band and crowd. However, the highlight of the evening was the confirmation of Jones’ raw talent that has seen his popularity grow and grow since the release of his latest album ‘West Kirby County Primary’ at the tail end of 2015.
A near hour and half set was full of newer, semi-classic and even one brand new track that were more warmly received than the last by the crowd of cult like tendencies. Jones even obliged when he has heckled with requests, a nice touch for a man who was obviously slightly taken aback by the large crowd. Personally, having seen him last summer at Green Man 2015 on the Mountain Stage (That’s the main one if you weren’t sure), I was a tad skeptical. Although I was a big fan of the record, at Green Man I got the overwhelming impression that it all got a bit lost in the hoards of rugs, buggies, crying children and aging hipster that you’ll find on a sunny mid-afternoon at the Welsh festival. Maybe if he’d been moved into one of the smaller tents he would have been more warmly received. So to finally see him in London’s 1,100 capacity venue was a nice treat worth the wait and one that no one will forget in a hurry.
The first support came from Trudy, who only played to a handful of people so who am I to judge, and the excellent Beach Baby who are well worth 5 minutes of your time.
9/11
- Live Reviews
The criminally under-used Unity Works in Wakefield was the quite frankly, surprising venue to host Kentucky noise-niks Cage The Elephant. With probably the best sound system of all the venues in West Yorkshire, the mainly youth filled venue (including my teenage daughter) was anticipating a lively, hot and sweaty Friday night out. And they weren’t to be disappointed.
Following the impressive half an hour support slot of Chrome Pony, on strolled the 5 piece, lead by vocalist Matthew Shultz to almost rapturous applause. Without ceremony, they launched into Cry Baby, opening track from new album Tell Me I’m Pretty. This sounded more urgent and vibrant than it does on record, almost certainly helped by the crystal clear acoustics, and suddenly Shultz is in and amongst the crowd.
If 2015 was all about Samuel T Herring from Future Islands and his manic dancing style, 2016 should be about Shultz - part Jagger, part Jack Black in School of Rock, his style is mesmeric, bonkers and fun. These guys know how to put on a show.
They were clearly enjoying the night as much as we were - guitars were hurled at roadies between songs, between song chatter was limited, and both Shultz and guitarist Nick Bockrath spend a fair proportion of the night in the crowd.
5 further tracks from the latest album made up the central portion of the 20 song set, but where this may have resulted in a mid set lull, this did not affect the atmosphere or tempo of the night for one minute. After Shultz admitted this was the first time the band had played Wakefield (or even heard of it I would guess), the audience launched into an impromptu chorus of “Yorkshire, Yorkshire”.....the band even appreciated that by stopping and grinning back. Clearly a lot of love between band and fans.
By the time the time the band finished the main set, most of the sold out crowd were dripping with sweat (and beer which had been flying through the air). Cigarette Daydreams, Shake Me Down & Sabretooth Tiger ended the gig in furious manner, pretty much as per the rest of the night, and it was the end of an adrenaline fuelled night.
Cage The Elephant clearly have a large, loyal following based on the back of 4 albums going back to 2008, but I suspect their reputation is as an explosive live band, and I have to admit, if I see a band with a performance this good in 2016, I’ll be a happy man.
Keith