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GIGS / LIVE REVIEWS
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NOVEMBER GIG RUNDOWN
FEAT:
OF MONSTERS AND MEN, EDITORS, LONELY THE BRAVE,
JACK GARRATT, GUY GARVEY AND BLOC PARTY
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November was a busy month musically, with Berlin offering an eye-watering amount of concerts.
Here is a 6-part review of my gig shenanigans, which will hopefully get you, dear reader, seeking out tickets
to see these acts for yourself in the near future...
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
COLUMBIAHALLE, BERLIN - 02/11
Icelandic folksters Of Monsters And Men kick off this month’s festivities in a perkily oneiric fashion.
The quintet, which I have had the pleasure of seeing several times over the years, has greatly evolved onstage since their first album, My Head Is An Animal, chiefly by making elfin singer Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir the band’s de facto frontwoman. Whereas she previously shared leading duties with co-singer / guitarist Ragnar Porhallsson, she now leads the band and proves to be an excellent stage presence. The tweak works and Of Monsters And Men have also managed to fully blend their material together: the bouncier tracks from their debut album (‘Little Talks’, ‘Mountain Sounds’...) don’t stand out as much as they once did. This lack of tonal disparity is due to the addition of more drums, committing to the impressive amount of instruments (xylophones, trumpets, accordions and the aforementioned drums) and giving some extra oomph to many of this year’s Beneath The Skin’s icily tunes. The setlist therefore feels less uneven than it once did, especially during this summer’s live outings.
Of Monsters And Men feel like a band at ease with their sound, a unit which has meticulously married their radio-friendly refrains with darker, more otherworldly-sounding material. The older tracks are a joy to listen to but interestingly, the real standouts are from their sophomore LP: ‘Empire’ and ‘Hunger’ shine brightly, while new track ‘Backyard’, premiered during this European tour, sees them delving deeper into dark hues. Promising stuff for the third album...
While their live shows definitely privilege the quality of sound and the creation of a moody atmosphere over memorable stage antics, there are moments that make you think that Of Monsters And Men are now confident enough to bring their forcefully emotive melodies to bigger, stadium-sized crowds. Full marks.
The quintet, which I have had the pleasure of seeing several times over the years, has greatly evolved onstage since their first album, My Head Is An Animal, chiefly by making elfin singer Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir the band’s de facto frontwoman. Whereas she previously shared leading duties with co-singer / guitarist Ragnar Porhallsson, she now leads the band and proves to be an excellent stage presence. The tweak works and Of Monsters And Men have also managed to fully blend their material together: the bouncier tracks from their debut album (‘Little Talks’, ‘Mountain Sounds’...) don’t stand out as much as they once did. This lack of tonal disparity is due to the addition of more drums, committing to the impressive amount of instruments (xylophones, trumpets, accordions and the aforementioned drums) and giving some extra oomph to many of this year’s Beneath The Skin’s icily tunes. The setlist therefore feels less uneven than it once did, especially during this summer’s live outings.
Of Monsters And Men feel like a band at ease with their sound, a unit which has meticulously married their radio-friendly refrains with darker, more otherworldly-sounding material. The older tracks are a joy to listen to but interestingly, the real standouts are from their sophomore LP: ‘Empire’ and ‘Hunger’ shine brightly, while new track ‘Backyard’, premiered during this European tour, sees them delving deeper into dark hues. Promising stuff for the third album...
While their live shows definitely privilege the quality of sound and the creation of a moody atmosphere over memorable stage antics, there are moments that make you think that Of Monsters And Men are now confident enough to bring their forcefully emotive melodies to bigger, stadium-sized crowds. Full marks.
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EDITORS
COLUMBIAHALLE, BERLIN - 09/11
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What a joy it is to see this band again. Their latest album, In Dreams, is an undeniable step up from the unjustly-maligned-but-still-pretty-toothless 2012 effort The Weight Of Your Love and comes a decade after the release of their debut The Back Room. The evening’s gig shows that ten years on, Editors are still one of the best, most accomplished live acts around.
After a decent opening set from Glaswegian post-punk band The Twilight Sad, Editors open with the moodily cinematic ‘No Harm’, one of In Dreams’ strongest and more daring tracks. What follows is an operatic and infectiously energetic show that includes many past hits: fans are not only treated to a bombastic rendition of ‘An End Has A Start’, the excellent ‘Racing Rats’ and an acoustic version of ‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Door’ but also a great number of songs from The Back Room. Favourites such as ‘Blood’, ‘All Sparks’, ‘Fingers In The Factories’ and the anthemic ‘Munich’ are played with the same raw energy that made the band so enticing in the first place.
Singer Tom Smith is still a fantastic and dynamic performer, waving about his T-rex arms and jerking about the place like a possessed puppet. He manages to invigorate some of the more lacklustre tracks on In Dreams, with the live version of ‘Salvation’ sounding like a rousing call to arms and ‘Life Is A Fear’ becoming a Depeche Mode-reminiscent anthem. Special mention must also go to drummer Edward Lay, who contributes in no small way to bringing these tracks to life so enthusiastically.
The evening ended on a high, with the calypso beats of the wonderfully danceable ‘Ocean Of Night’, followed by the invigorating classic ‘Papillon’, the extended outro of which segued into ‘Marching Orders’. This new track has taken over from ‘Honesty’ as their closing number and is destined to become a fan favourite.
From the moody start to the energetically stirring ending, Editors are in a league of their own. Arguably this month’s strongest concert.
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LONELY THE BRAVE
PRIVATCLUB, BERLIN - 14/11
One day after the Paris attacks, there was a palpable sadness in the air. This night in the intimate Privatclub venue was about seeing a band but also about showing a certain defiance: a good evening to witness how music and healing can often go hand in hand.
On to Lonely The Brave...
While the band name may conjure up unwanted fears of nu-metal / neo power rock outfits from the early 2000s, this five piece from Cambridge impressed with their debut album The Day’s War. I enjoyed their brand of alt-rock when I saw them live this summer, their set having been reminiscent of a lesser Biffy Clyro; however, a big caveat was the onstage attitude, which couldn’t conceal the fact they lacked confidence in front of big crowds and weren’t yet a fully-fledged unit. Still, with tracks like ‘Trick of the Light’, ‘The Blue, The Green’ and ‘Kings of the Mountain’, you felt that they could be on the brink of becoming something big.
Several months later, not much has changed. One would have hoped that summer festivals and touring could have created a tighter dynamic. It has for the most of them, but the band’s singer / leading man David Jakes remains untouched by any performing progress. He is completely removed, hiding behind the lead guitarist for ALL THE GIG AND NEVER ONCE TAKING TO THE FRONT STAGE. His attitude borders on autism, making him look like a newborn giraffe with agoraphobia. Considering the nature of Lonely The Brave’s sound, the band needs - nay, demands - a better leading man. No one is asking Jakes to suddenly turn to crowd surfing or develop extraverted tendencies; just some presence would be nice. The rest of the band are excellent but clearly hampered by having a bassist for a frontman.
As it stands, the heart and soul of the band is guitarist and backing vocalist Mark Trotter, who addresses the crowd, thanks everyone for making it tonight in the wake of the Paris attacks, jumps into the audience towards the end of the gig and generally leads the proceedings. I had the good fortune of having a natter with him afterwards (see pic) and praised him for upping showmanship factor and basically saving the day.
Verdict: a band with a good sound and a frontman unwilling to assume his role, despite his excellent vocals. Their shows undeniably suffer from Jakes’ attitude; many might find him endearingly enigmatic but the fact is he holds the band back, preventing Lonely The Brave from accessing the next step in their promising career.
On to Lonely The Brave...
While the band name may conjure up unwanted fears of nu-metal / neo power rock outfits from the early 2000s, this five piece from Cambridge impressed with their debut album The Day’s War. I enjoyed their brand of alt-rock when I saw them live this summer, their set having been reminiscent of a lesser Biffy Clyro; however, a big caveat was the onstage attitude, which couldn’t conceal the fact they lacked confidence in front of big crowds and weren’t yet a fully-fledged unit. Still, with tracks like ‘Trick of the Light’, ‘The Blue, The Green’ and ‘Kings of the Mountain’, you felt that they could be on the brink of becoming something big.
Several months later, not much has changed. One would have hoped that summer festivals and touring could have created a tighter dynamic. It has for the most of them, but the band’s singer / leading man David Jakes remains untouched by any performing progress. He is completely removed, hiding behind the lead guitarist for ALL THE GIG AND NEVER ONCE TAKING TO THE FRONT STAGE. His attitude borders on autism, making him look like a newborn giraffe with agoraphobia. Considering the nature of Lonely The Brave’s sound, the band needs - nay, demands - a better leading man. No one is asking Jakes to suddenly turn to crowd surfing or develop extraverted tendencies; just some presence would be nice. The rest of the band are excellent but clearly hampered by having a bassist for a frontman.
As it stands, the heart and soul of the band is guitarist and backing vocalist Mark Trotter, who addresses the crowd, thanks everyone for making it tonight in the wake of the Paris attacks, jumps into the audience towards the end of the gig and generally leads the proceedings. I had the good fortune of having a natter with him afterwards (see pic) and praised him for upping showmanship factor and basically saving the day.
Verdict: a band with a good sound and a frontman unwilling to assume his role, despite his excellent vocals. Their shows undeniably suffer from Jakes’ attitude; many might find him endearingly enigmatic but the fact is he holds the band back, preventing Lonely The Brave from accessing the next step in their promising career.
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JACK GARRATT
GRETCHEN, BERLIN - 17/11
It seems the world is now waking up to the marvel that is Jack Garratt.
The wunderkind has recently won the BRITS Critics’ Choice Award and has been nominated for the BBC’s Sound of 2016 award. Without trying to adopt a nauseating hipster attitude, I do take pride in the fact I’ve been singing his praises for some time now and couldn’t be more thrilled he’s finally getting the attention he deserves.
This gig at the excellent Gretchen venue marks the second time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the bearded multi-instrumentalist live and I urge you, dear reader, not to miss out if he ever comes to your neck of the woods.
Following the very strong opening act Jarryd James, Garratt delivered a set that showcased once more his rather unique merge of soul, electro and rock, with an emphasis on dysrhythmic beats, layered synths and his Justin Vernon-esque vocals. Garratt manages to shift from balladesque élans, foot-stomping electro tunes to visceral beats and make it all look seamless. And rather fun.
Having only a few songs to his name (two EPs and two singles), the intimate gig still lasted a fair bit, with standouts being the energetic ‘Breathe Life’, the moodily enticing ‘Worry’ and the eerie ‘The Love Your Given’. His interaction with the crowd is also a highlight: his cheeky wit combined with his high-pitched laughter make him an endearing presence, as well as his genuine humility when the crowd show to what extent they care. (He's a genuinely nice man and always happy to meet the fans - see pic.)
Some blinding light work for the first two songs aside, Jack Garratt once again showed to what extent his sophisticated, raw music is a force to be reckoned with. His first album comes out in February 2016 and you should start getting excited. For the time being, I encourage you to seek out this year’s Synesthesiac EP and enjoy the sounds of a one-man-band whose debut LP could be on the brink of changing next year’s musical landscape.
The wunderkind has recently won the BRITS Critics’ Choice Award and has been nominated for the BBC’s Sound of 2016 award. Without trying to adopt a nauseating hipster attitude, I do take pride in the fact I’ve been singing his praises for some time now and couldn’t be more thrilled he’s finally getting the attention he deserves.
This gig at the excellent Gretchen venue marks the second time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the bearded multi-instrumentalist live and I urge you, dear reader, not to miss out if he ever comes to your neck of the woods.
Following the very strong opening act Jarryd James, Garratt delivered a set that showcased once more his rather unique merge of soul, electro and rock, with an emphasis on dysrhythmic beats, layered synths and his Justin Vernon-esque vocals. Garratt manages to shift from balladesque élans, foot-stomping electro tunes to visceral beats and make it all look seamless. And rather fun.
Having only a few songs to his name (two EPs and two singles), the intimate gig still lasted a fair bit, with standouts being the energetic ‘Breathe Life’, the moodily enticing ‘Worry’ and the eerie ‘The Love Your Given’. His interaction with the crowd is also a highlight: his cheeky wit combined with his high-pitched laughter make him an endearing presence, as well as his genuine humility when the crowd show to what extent they care. (He's a genuinely nice man and always happy to meet the fans - see pic.)
Some blinding light work for the first two songs aside, Jack Garratt once again showed to what extent his sophisticated, raw music is a force to be reckoned with. His first album comes out in February 2016 and you should start getting excited. For the time being, I encourage you to seek out this year’s Synesthesiac EP and enjoy the sounds of a one-man-band whose debut LP could be on the brink of changing next year’s musical landscape.
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GUY GARVEY
PBHF CLUB, BERLIN - 28/11
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Elbow frontman Guy Garvey has not only released his first solo album this year but proved that his Courting The Squall is more than just a token filler until we get a new Elbow album. It’s the sound of one of the most talented songwriters currently performing having a truckload of fun.
The Beta Band’s lead singer Steve Mason opened the evening, with some excellent folk tunes that don’t disappoint but do remind you how much The Beta Band is sorely missed. Garvey and his band then come out for their first ever live gig together. Indeed, the opening concert of their first tour together was supposed to be in Brussels; concerts were recently cancelled due to a city-wide security clampdown in the wake of the November 13 attacks. Garvey warns there might be mistakes for his premiere...
His 6-piece band includes I Am Kloot bassist Pete Jobson (who is now on guitar), The Whip’s Nathan Sudders on bass, drummer Alex Reid and Elbow’s three piece horn section, who sound like they’ve been given the mother of all weekend passes. Opening number ‘Three Bells’ is the most Elbow-sounding song of the evening, a gently melodic start which, like Courting The Squall, is imbued with the poetic wisdom which makes Elbow songs so wonderful. It is however uncharacteristic of the rest of the horn-heavy and brassier sound that follows. The set mirrors the exact order of the album tracklist, with only a two-song interval which breaks things up; the pause sees Garvey edging towards the side, letting Jobson take to the piano for two songs: ‘Just Cos I’m Dead’ and the frankly hilarious ‘Holiday’.
The evening is filled with mischievous banter, which includes Garvey’s candid anecdotes about the songs and his jests regarding the masculinity of his melodica. The leading man is on fine form, creating a cheery atmosphere that even leads him to whimsically sing a bit of George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’ at one point...
Like on the album, the swagger of ‘Harder Edges’, the brassy ‘Broken Bottles and Chandeliers’ and the rousing ‘Yesterday‘ all stand out. The encore is also a treat: Garvey and Co cover the Ink Spots’ 1941 hit ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’ and offer a literal encore of the previously played ‘Angela’s Eyes’, which turns into a euphoric jam session.
An Elbow song could have been a nice addition to the setlist, but it makes sense that none feature this evening: Garvey quipped early on about abusing the Elbow name to get the audience here (confirming in passing that they’ll be back in the recording studio in January) and this refined experimental blues riot is all about him.
Ultimately, the only thing he got wrong is his faulty prediction: no mistakes were made during this warm, uplifting evening.
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BLOC PARTY
ASTRA, BERLIN - 29/11
Another big name to end the month’s festivities...
Bloc Party are back with a new line-up (Justin Harris and Louise Bartle join founding members Kele and Russell) and a new album, Hymns, set to be released late January. Time to showcase some fresh tunes and see if Bloc Party Mk.2 has what it takes to captivate an audience.
Short answer: they do.
Long answer: while their performance at the Astra is close to flawless and the new material sounds great, a certain urgency has been lost.
The set is a mix of older tracks and new material which more than satisfies: newbies like ‘Eden’, ‘The Good News’ and ‘Different Drugs’ blend in effortlessly with the anthemic ‘Octopus’, ‘Hunting for Witches’ and ‘Banquet’. Only the mildly grating ‘The Love Within’ fails to impress. Bloc Party are still experts in operating some exciting tonal shifts: Kele lets go of his guitar to get the whole venue jumping to his electro / disco beat with ‘One More Chance’. The band ends the main set with the danceable double whammy of ‘Ratchet’ and ‘Flux’, showing that this is a band that has managed to evolve from its indie rock roots and stay relevant.
The issue is that sonically, the departure of drummer Matt Tong and bassist Gordon Moakes can still be heard; the sound is perfect but lacks that adrenaline shot the band previously delivered live. In many ways, it ends up feeling like a Best Of performance: heartfelt, often euphoric but somewhat telegraphed.
Not that this lack of power dents the overall performance: Kele is still a brilliant frontman and clearly loves the Berlin crowd. Considering he lived in Berlin for several years, he decided to pull out all the stops, which include audience participation aplenty and even a second encore, a rarity for the band who traditionally like to end things on the classic ‘This Modern Love’. Tonight, the crowd was treated to ‘She’s Hearing Voices’, also off their debut album Silent Alarm and a joy to hear live once more.
For all the evening’s positives, you get the sense that this new Bloc Party still have a way to go before they get to the same level Bloc Party Mk.1 had. Completely normal, since the original line-up had close to 13 years together to perfect a gripping and surprisingly visceral sound. Still, this band can still conjure up some lively reactions (the impressively exuberant moshpit even began to get this reviewer feeling his age towards the end) and if the new songs are anything to go by, Hymns should be a treat...
Bloc Party are back with a new line-up (Justin Harris and Louise Bartle join founding members Kele and Russell) and a new album, Hymns, set to be released late January. Time to showcase some fresh tunes and see if Bloc Party Mk.2 has what it takes to captivate an audience.
Short answer: they do.
Long answer: while their performance at the Astra is close to flawless and the new material sounds great, a certain urgency has been lost.
The set is a mix of older tracks and new material which more than satisfies: newbies like ‘Eden’, ‘The Good News’ and ‘Different Drugs’ blend in effortlessly with the anthemic ‘Octopus’, ‘Hunting for Witches’ and ‘Banquet’. Only the mildly grating ‘The Love Within’ fails to impress. Bloc Party are still experts in operating some exciting tonal shifts: Kele lets go of his guitar to get the whole venue jumping to his electro / disco beat with ‘One More Chance’. The band ends the main set with the danceable double whammy of ‘Ratchet’ and ‘Flux’, showing that this is a band that has managed to evolve from its indie rock roots and stay relevant.
The issue is that sonically, the departure of drummer Matt Tong and bassist Gordon Moakes can still be heard; the sound is perfect but lacks that adrenaline shot the band previously delivered live. In many ways, it ends up feeling like a Best Of performance: heartfelt, often euphoric but somewhat telegraphed.
Not that this lack of power dents the overall performance: Kele is still a brilliant frontman and clearly loves the Berlin crowd. Considering he lived in Berlin for several years, he decided to pull out all the stops, which include audience participation aplenty and even a second encore, a rarity for the band who traditionally like to end things on the classic ‘This Modern Love’. Tonight, the crowd was treated to ‘She’s Hearing Voices’, also off their debut album Silent Alarm and a joy to hear live once more.
For all the evening’s positives, you get the sense that this new Bloc Party still have a way to go before they get to the same level Bloc Party Mk.1 had. Completely normal, since the original line-up had close to 13 years together to perfect a gripping and surprisingly visceral sound. Still, this band can still conjure up some lively reactions (the impressively exuberant moshpit even began to get this reviewer feeling his age towards the end) and if the new songs are anything to go by, Hymns should be a treat...
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There we have it.
Yes, I shamelessly admit to being a jammy bastard: not all months are as jam-packed with this amount of musical goodness.
Hope you’re inspired to check out what’s on near you and as always, thank you for reading.
Stay tuned for the upcoming END OF YEAR MUSIC REVIEW, in which I’ll share my Top 10 albums of 2015,
with a prize giveaway to boot...
- D - 03/12/15
ROCK WERCHTER 2015 REVIEW
FOR THE FULL REVIEW OF THE 41st EDITION OF ROCK WERCHTER,
FEATURING
FLORENCE+THE MACHINE, CHET FAKER, MUSE, IBEYI,
PHARRELL WILLIAMS, FIRST AID KIT, TOVE LO, THE PRODIGY
AND MANY MORE, CLICK:
HERE
FEATURING
FLORENCE+THE MACHINE, CHET FAKER, MUSE, IBEYI,
PHARRELL WILLIAMS, FIRST AID KIT, TOVE LO, THE PRODIGY
AND MANY MORE, CLICK:
HERE
NADINE SHAH
PRIVATCLUB - BERLIN (21/05/15)
Nadine Shah’s European tour is coming to a close and she’s decided to end it at the Privatclub, an intimate venue with brothel-tinted lights in the outskirts of Kreuzberg.
Following a dreamy yet tad-too-twee opening set from Numberg duo Nick & June, Nadine Shah and her band take to the stage.
Considering Shah’s immersive debut and her recently released sophomore LP, Fast Food, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the evening was going to be a sombre and somewhat gloomy affair. Indeed, the songstress’ smoky-voiced tales of toxic relationships make her sound powerfully tortured and hardly cheery. This impression lingers when Shah first appears. Dressed all in black, with her dark hair tied back, nothing in her immediate and seemingly stern demeanour betrays the fascinating dichotomy she’ll create all evening.
Her brand of post-punk talks of despair and the songs’ gothic sensibilities are only heightened by Privatclub’s moody lighting and Shah’s irresistibly husky delivery. However, as a person, the gin-sipping Brit is not only engaging but very funny. Her North East accent surprisingly clashes with her broody singing voice, adding a certain cheekiness to her already charming banter.
It is this marriage between the darkness and the light that makes the evening so enthralling. She creates clouds only to part them and it’s hard not to be utterly mesmerized.
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The set opens with ‘Living’, a powerfully plaintive number which is enriched by some electronic guitar riffs. It starts off the first half of the evening, which is dedicated to Fast Food. These songs feel more spirited compared to the studio listen; stomping riffs and some assertive basslines add a deeper sultriness, one which invites wholly-warranted comparisons with PJ Harvey.
Again, the introspective and impassioned songs, with added knee flexes and howls, are enticingly coupled with playful asides in between songs. For instance, ‘The Gin One’, a self-confessed ode to her favourite tipple, is prefaced by her raising a glass to the audience and admitting that she’ll be “shitfaced” by the end of the evening. It is the end of the tour after all...
The crowd welcome some of her older songs at the set’s midway point. These feel less polished than her newer tracks but still have that raw magnetism which permeated throughout her debut Love Your Dum And Mad (please stand and clap for the tiptop title). The piano-led ‘Remember’ adds some plaintive horns, the wonderful ‘To Be A Young Man’ is beautifully rendered, while ‘Aching Bones’ greatly benefits from an Interpol-like bassline and the choppy keying of the piano. ‘Floating’ sounds like it could have been on PJ’s Uh Huh Her and stirs up the most emotions.
The main set finishes with Fast Food’s lead single, ‘Stealing Cars’, and the album’s highlight, ‘Fool’. The former is the most instantly pop track, but one that has an intensely cathartic quality live. It beautifully segues into ‘Fool’, a scathing attack aimed at a lover who has imprudently scorned her. You can tell by Shah’s jolty movements on stage that emotions run deep and it’s a strong way to draw things to a close.
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Shah and her band leave the stage and return quicker than a porcupine’s hiccup. Before starting the encore, she shares with the thrilled audience that you can tell how well a gig’s gone by the reaction of everyone backstage as soon as you finish the main set. She then mimes the excited ‘yeah-faces’ that everyone giddily had backstage.
‘Divided’ and the ensorcelling ‘Runaway’ yet again show Shah’s range, going from angrily husky to soulfully deep in a way that is refreshing and often invigorating. The true gem though is a cover that the singer dedicates to one of her friends, who made the trip to Berlin and who is in the small crowd: ‘I Need My Girl’, by The National. Anyone who knows me will guess how elated I was at the sound of this unexpected treat, The National being one of my very favourite bands. Bearing this in mind, it is no small salute when I say that Shah’s version trumps the original, with her distinctive voice building up to an explosive crescendo that stuns the audience. It leaves an audible and heartfelt silence in the room before the clapping and cheers commence.
After the gig is over, it becomes clear that her irrepressible and irresistible charm is not a stage persona – she sweetly interacts with fans at the merch stand, humbly thanking them and signing albums. Once the majority of the people have left, she confesses to me that she wants another drink, despite having already had “one too many”.
We load up on gin and chat about how she’ll stay in Berlin a couple of days now that the tour is over. She adds how humbling it is to have sold out evenings in countries other than your own. I admit that The National cover floored me; she mocks disappointment when she hears I didn’t shed a tear and we talk about how brilliant the band's Trouble Will Find Me album is.
Things wind up with a hug and a cheeky snap (with your humble reviewer looking like a smacked arse), adding to the sense that the evening had truly surpassed all already high expectations.
Nadine Shah’s second album is out now and I strongly recommend you give it a listen (or five) – if you’re not convinced by now, click here for the album review: Nadine Shah – Fast Food.
- D - 24/05/15
We load up on gin and chat about how she’ll stay in Berlin a couple of days now that the tour is over. She adds how humbling it is to have sold out evenings in countries other than your own. I admit that The National cover floored me; she mocks disappointment when she hears I didn’t shed a tear and we talk about how brilliant the band's Trouble Will Find Me album is.
Things wind up with a hug and a cheeky snap (with your humble reviewer looking like a smacked arse), adding to the sense that the evening had truly surpassed all already high expectations.
Nadine Shah’s second album is out now and I strongly recommend you give it a listen (or five) – if you’re not convinced by now, click here for the album review: Nadine Shah – Fast Food.
- D - 24/05/15
ALABAMA SHAKES
ASTRA KULTURHAUS - BERLIN (03/05/15)
It’s a mild Sunday evening in Berlin and Alabama Shakes are touring their follow-up to 2012’s excellent Boys & Girls: Sound & Colour.
Arriving at Friedrichshain’s Astra Kulturhaus is like stepping inside an abandoned outdoor community centre, complete with tagged walls, an indoor skating ramp and a designated market area. It is in fact an abandoned site of a WWII railroad repair complex that reopened as a music venue / art exhibition locale / marketplace in 2009. It’s well worth a gander.
Preceded by a cozy beer garden, the indoor venue itself is more intimate. It looks like a 70s high school gym hall, with 1970s style lighting, a retro curtain backdrop and hardwood floors. It isn't a strain to imagine tuxedoed adolescents trying to grope their overly made-up dates during an end of year prom on this non-slopped floor.
That last floor-related comment wasn’t a throwaway: for those of you thinking of visiting, a late arrival or a small stature sadly implies that the show will rapidly be obscured... Even if you arrive early like yours truly, you might still be at the mercy of a lanky and preening next door neighbour with Robert Pattinson hair, circa 2008, who enjoys eyeballing everyone, swaying in all directions of the compass and who could out-diva a Disney damsel in distress. Thankfully, the Astra venue doesn't seem to oversell shows, thereby making a sold-out evening feel manoeuvrable. Still, the moral of the story remains: don't be tardy to the party.
After a few 90s classics played to pacify the eager crowd, the band finally take to the stage to the swagger-inducing sound of Montell Jordan’s ‘This Is How We Do It’.
The thing that quickly becomes as clear as the vodka one keeps in the icebox is how much Alabama Shakes has evolved since their debut album and early shows. Aside from their propensity for accumulatives and ampersands in their album titles, the young quartet has evolved. Musically, they have not stuck to the retro-blues recipe and have instead become experts in seemingly switching from the gritty blues to the powerfully funky. Their set focuses on their evolution; they favour new album tracks, thereby making the show a more kaleidoscopic affair.
This adventurous streak extends to their attitude on the boards. Having seen the band before, they used to cluster together on stage, a strength-in-huddle approach that endearingly showed shyness but that betrayed their inexperience. Whereas one got a sense this band was a tightly knitted one, it was admittedly a rather tedious watch. The new Alabama Shakes seems keener to put singer Brittany Howard forward and for the rest of the players to have backing roles.
To be blunt, the other band members barely register, despite Steve Johnson’s excellent drumming and Heath Fogg’s face-consuming beard.
(Seriously, that BILF* has made a pact with Fogg’s hair to annex as much of his distinguishable facial features as possible. It's a sight to behold.)
In putting the stocky frontwoman and her thick-rimmed specs to the forefront, Alabama Shakes have grown for the better, without any point compromising their original sound. The charismatic Howard steals the show not only with her striking new haircut - a curly wedge that makes her look like The Fresh Princess of Bel Air - but especially with her pitch-perfect and wall-shaking wails. Her expressive enunciation, a raw-throated and soulful delivery, is a joy to watch and hear. She has gained in confidence and sings like a woman possessed, gesticulating towards the crowd like a manic preacher or a bedevilled Aretha Franklin.
As for the new material, it fits in well within their older catalogue. The sultry funk of ‘Don’t Wanna Fight’ and the slower Otis Redding-like crescendos of ‘Gimme All Your Love’ merge well with fan favourites ‘Rise To The Sun’ and ‘Be Mine’. The new songs are undebiably more interesting, as they show to what extent Howard can effortlessly shift from soul-rock hollers to more sensually plaintive numbers. Standouts are ‘Future People’ and its singalong chorus, the Marvin Gaye reminiscent ‘Guess Who’ and the irresistible ‘Always Alright’, a one-off single included in the Silver Linings Playbook soundtrack.
The band are now so confident that arguably their biggest hit to date (the Grammy-nominated single ‘Hold On’) is conspicuously absent from the setlist. A shame but it’s a vacancy that shows how determined they are not to look back and hold on (I’m here all week) to a traditionalist sound that could lessen their developing songwriting palette.
"Lessen their developing songwriting palette"??
I'm drunk on pomposity. Time to wrap up before things escalate...
From the cathartically rousing numbers to the gentler songs, Alabama Shakes have bested their debut and made their live performances something of a must-see. Granted, the band does feel less cohesive and more like The Brittany Howard Show. Still, they have dared to evolve and maintained a humble attitude towards their audience, never enabling any diva-esque behaviour and always keeping the emotional investment genuine.
What a difference a couple of years make. If Brittany Howard and her lot continue down this road, this is one force of nature that’ll continue to make us shake, rattle and... shake... for some time yet.
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(* BILF stands for 'Beard I’d Like to Fondle' – let’s keep up with the lingo, people...)
- D - 04/05/15
THE BRONZE MEDAL
MONARCH - BERLIN (01/04/15)
Joni Mitchell said that she sees music as “fluid architecture”.
While the architecture of the Kreuzberg venue Monarch looks like a lesser, subdued version of Blofeld’s windowed lair in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, it was the setting of a quiet riot architected by the UK’s best kept secret.
Over the course of a short evening, The Bronze Medal show they fully earn the aforementioned subtitle and the one given to them by The Times: “Masters of indie slow-build.”
The Bristol bunch crammed onto the cornered stage and crafted a gently euphoric set worthy of their stunning album debut, Darlings.
(For reference, the latter came in 5th in Before The Bombs Fall Top 10 albums of 2014: link).
From the Idlewild-reminiscent ‘High Fever’ to encore ‘Tunnels’, the set boasted some gorgeous cinematic crescendos and raw harmonies, complete with crisp guitars, dominant cymbal rushes and even bowed guitars. Many rousing builds are reminiscent of Sigur Ros, circa Agaetis Byrjun, specifically the last half of the powerfully melancholic ‘From The Stairs’. This is not entirely surprising considering Darlings was produced by Valgeir Sigurosson. The founder of Greenhouse Studios has collaborated with Sigur Ros but also with Brian Eno and Mùm, who are all more than capable of an energetic and stirring orchestral flight. However, it is impressive how The Bronze Medal, a band on their first European tour, manage to smoothly bring such life to their textured tunes on stage. Rare do unseasoned bands sound this confident.
What has been missing from the band’s live performances are the horns, which were performed by the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra on Darlings. These layered yet subtle arrangements made songs like the titular ‘Darlings’ and the delicately nocturnal ‘Largo’ particular standouts. However, the absence of the brass is more than made up for by Daniel Rogers’ assured keyboard, which steadily gelled the proceedings, as well as the frequently intertwined vocals of boyish leading man Chris Hillier, Robin Southwell’s more delicate tones and the sturdy pitch of bassist Mike Barnett. The tripod’s harmonizing warmed the cockles and worked well in the intimate venue, which only made the band’s tenebrous tunes more affecting.
Broken Social Scene and The Postal Service could be comparative touchstones but, with time, The Bronze Medal could follow in Elbow’s footsteps. Like Guy Garvey’s outfit, the band manage to complement their rock-infused cadences and soaring choruses with some intense and inventive lyrics. ‘Tunnel’s intoxicating “I love you just like a brother / Not my favourite thing to say today (...) So hold my hand / I need you to want me to leave you alone” or the heart-breaking “You’ve been making life plans / But I don’t figure in them” on ‘Life Plans’ are particular highlights and show they are a clear crop above the competition. Sadly, the latter song was not played but did give this reviewer the honour of being the band’s first audience member to venture a song request.
It’s about the small things.
Phrasing.
Never heard of The Bronze Medal? You’d do well to remedy that. Post haste. Darlings is out now and only gets better with repeated listens.
The Bronze Medal playing somewhere near you? Don’t miss out. You’ll be able to say you witnessed their fluid architecture before it’s demolished; because if there’s any justice, this band won’t stay a secret for much longer.
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As if these pictures weren't enough (stop pretending you're not the slightest bit jealous about that autographed album), you don't even have to head over to YouTube:
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You're welcome.
- D - 02/04/15
STARS
BI NUU - BERLIN (22/01/15)
The intimate venue Bi Nuu, on outskirts of Kreuzberg, is the recent pit stop for Canadian indie band Stars...
The Berlin-born band Childhood start the evening’s frivolities with a short and pleasant set. The trio sing in English and their brand of subdued electro pop benefits from the onstage camaraderie that can clearly be witnessed between the Jessica Biel-looking keyboard player and her co-singing, bass-playing band member. Sadly, the centre-staged bespectacled guitarist is somewhat left behind but does get to shine towards the end of their show.
At their best, Children sound like a less inspired MS MR with a more electro tinge and with, it has to be said, poorer lyrics. Still, a solid start before the evening’s headliners take to the stage, the distinct highlight being a cover version of Charles & Eddie’s ‘Would I Lie To You?’.
Stars walk on stage, lead by the buoyant frontman Torquil Campbell, singer Amy Millan and the band’s drummer, who looks as though he’s a been rescued from a Dexys Midnight Runners video.
Considering their latest album, last year’s No One Is Lost, is a departure of sorts from the band’s dreamy indie sound, the first half of the evening showcases a number of newer songs which have clear electro dance influences. The disco romp ‘From The Night’ and the 90s-sounding powerhouse ‘Trap Door’ stand out, both matching Campbell’s excitable onstage manner.
The shift into dancier territory works, as Stars seamlessly pepper their recent, more upbeat sounding tracks with darker ballads, never forgetting the importance of co-singer Millan’s high-pitched vocals. Refreshingly, at no point do you get the niggling impression they’ve turned to EDM for the sake of album sales and chart positions.
The second half of the gig was a less danceable affair, with the inclusion of lush string sounds and some fan favourites. ‘Elevator Love Letter’, from their breakthrough 2003 effort Heart and their most notable hit ‘Your Ex-Lover Is Dead’ both make a welcome appearance. The latter track from their iconic 2004 LP Set Yourself On Fire prompts a gentle sing-along of the lyrics “I’m not sorry I met you, I’m not sorry it’s over, I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save”. It is the evening’s most melodically stirring moment, one which reminds you that this Canadian bunch are at their very best when tugging on the heartstrings.
It ends with a shimmying switch with ‘No One Is Lost’ and the final, cozy encore by Millan, who comes back with her bearded guitarist for the gentle ‘What Is To Be Done?’. It is a short send-off that neatly wraps things up.
Despite some slightly cloying interaction with the audience from Campbell, who frequently veered into twee terrain, the band’s enjoyable brand of catchy hooks and more intimate numbers ensure that they ultimately come off as sincerely endearing.
Having survived the Canadian indie trend which kicked off about 10 years ago, they have shown there’s more to this outfit from The Land of Owt & Aboot than a few song inclusions in The OC and Alias. While Stars haven't stepped out of Broken Social Scene's shadow, reached Arcade Fire heights or even equaled Feist's creative mojo, their familiar noise-pop stands next to their fellow Canadian counterparts and is still worth seeking out.
- D - 23/01/15