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Tag: gig reviews

Live Review: Yo La Tengo at Academy 2

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

Much like the most recent Manchester derby, Yo La Tengo’s gig at Academy 2 was a game of two halves.  Known for their massive discography and devout cult fandom, they attracted a savvy, locked-in crowd for their gig at Academy 2.  They ran with a double set with no support acts, opening up with an ethereal collection of songs from the more folky, psychedelic side of their catalogue.  The venue suited this aesthetic well, and the way the hushed guitars and double bass timbres of tunes like ‘The Crying Lot of G’ reverberated around the vast space was a real treat for the ears.  Dream-pop number ‘Nowhere Near’ was a standout moment of the night, enrapturing the crowd with its subdued beauty and Georgia Hubley’s delicate vocals. They closed the first set with ‘Here You Are’, a cut from their new record ‘There’s a Riot Going On’, which sat comfortably alongside older material, proving their music has lost none of their vitality over the years.

A short interval separated the two sets, and as punters topped up on pints and snuck outside for cigarettes, Yo La Tengo dusted off their distortion pedals in preparation for a much harsher second set.  Ira Kaplan swapped the whispered vocals of the first half for screeches and yelps set against walls of guitar feedback, chugging drums and zany keyboard motifs. ‘False Alarm’ from 1995’s ‘Electr-O-Pura’ was one such tune, and a timely reminder of the band’s vital place in the 90’s alt-rock ecosystem.  As the set drew to a close, the krautrock and shoegaze stylings of fan favourite ‘Sugarcube’ ignited the Academy with a maelstrom of abrasive guitar licks.  During the encore Kaplan told the crowd he would ‘‘honour the city’s musical heritage’’, and despite a few tongue-in-cheek calls to cover ‘Wonderwall’ from some members of the crowd, they opted instead for ‘Dream On’ by Herman’s Hermits.  There is a reason why Yo La Tengo is probably your favourite artists’ favourite artist, and why they have always been a staple of nerdy conversations in record shops; with an expansive back catalogue and a stonking live show to boot, its hard to see their relevance waning anytime soon.  

Live Review: Pale Waves at Gorilla

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

Placed 5th on BBC’s Sound of 2018, Pale Waves have gone from strength to strength and their sold
out gig at Manchester’s Gorilla proved why they have been described as ‘the goth pop hybrid you
didn’t know you needed.’

As I arrived, Our Girl was just about to begin and I was thoroughly impressed by their set. While a
much darker sound than Pale Waves, Our Girl is an enigmatic three piece band that is set to go far.
The lead singer Soph Nathan was engaging and her vocals had an almost relaxing quality to them. I
was especially impressed by the drummer, Lauren Wilson whose passion and energy made me very
drawn to watching her perform. I really enjoyed their set and have already downloaded several of
their songs!

And then came the main event. The headliners entered to a cool, retro guitar riff which was
accompanied by many cheers from an excited crowd. Opening with one of their biggest hits
‘Television Romance,’ Pale Waves instantly captured the audience excitement with their
performance. Lead singer Heather Baron- Gracie eccentric look perfectly captured the vibe of their
80’s inspired music as her Robert Smith inspired gothic look was complimented with her equally
eccentric moves that accompanied many of the lyrics. While the set only lasted 45 minutes, it was
packed with all the songs from their debut EP ‘All the things I’ve never said,’ while also including
some new songs. Ending on a high with their single ‘There’s a Honey’ that had the audience singing
back pretty much all the lyrics, it proves how much of an impact this band has already had on the
alternative music scene. They were a brilliant, high energy band who are going to become huge in
the next couple of years and they deserve all the recognition and success they have been given.

8/10

Madeleine Twigg

Live Review: Tom Misch at The O2 Ritz

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

The Tom Misch gig at The O2 Ritz on Friday 2nd March sold out immediately – the 22 year old artist is one of the biggest names to rise through the ranks and he keeps on delivering. The Ritz isn’t usually our go to on a Friday night but on the 2nd it was the hottest ticket in town. 

Misch plays a mixture of funk, soul, hip-hop and jazz and the gig promised to be slick and effortlessly relaxed. The whole performance was smooth start to finish. His melodic voice was met with screams as well as many audience members standing back and appreciating the great music. 

Misch brought a young crowd to the Ritz but there was no shoving or competing for the front – the Ritz was full of music lovers and the atmosphere was filled with nothing but positive vibes. 

The gig was made extra special by the fact that it really was a family affair. Mr and Mrs Misch were screaming at the back and got numerous shout outs. We were also graced with the presence of Misch’s very talented sister, Laura, during ‘Movie.’ The instrumentals and Misch’s excellently executed guitar playing evoked warmth and calm, along with his smooth voice. 

There was talk that his best pal, Loyle Carner would make a guest appearance. Though it didn’t happen, Misch more than delivered, playing a new array of songs amongst old favourites. ‘Movie’ was magical and ‘South of the River’ was absolutely brilliant.

After dropping the new track with De La Soul, ‘It Runs through Me’ just a day before, Misch was switched on and every song was delivered with energy, invoking positivity throughout the gig. 

I’ve been waiting to see Misch for a long time and he did not disappoint! Ending on a high with ‘Watch Me Dance,’ Tom Misch left the stage of the Ritz with fans chanting for more. However, he left us in anticipation – hopefully he’ll be back in Manchester ASAP. Overall, great, great gig.  

9/10.

By Jodie Bryant for Fuse FM.

Live Review: Free Vibes x Amazing Radio at Band On The Wall

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

I attended my first Free Vibes show at Band on the Wall and was pretty taken aback by the quality and variety of great local music on offer for free. Free Vibes is a regular night put on by Band on the Wall that aims to showcase up and coming musicians. For this night, Free Vibes teamed up with Amazing Radio’s Shell Zenner to curate 4 exciting artists. Genre-wise there was a taste of everything which brought in a wonderfully diverse crowd. First up was synth-pop duo Koalas who opened the show with cheerful synthesisers and effortless Everything Everything style vocals. At their best with their heavier synth intros, Koalas left me pining for carefree, summer days.

Third act Then Thickens arrived with an on stage confrontation of personal demons from front man and driving force in the band, Jon Lee-Martin. Lee-Martin sings stories of drug addiction and tragedy over bright indie guitar melodies which give the music an altogether more hopeful narrative. With their sometimes familiar sounding 90s riffs, Then Thickens hold their own through their front man’s sincere and cathartic vocals.

Photo: MohawkCallum Photos.

Stand outs were all girl punk band Witch Fever and solo artist TVAM. Witch Fever gave a performance that started out crazed and only got wilder as the set went on. Heavy grunge riffs drive the tracks and rumble through the floor whilst front woman Amy Hope switches from powerful, clean vocals to growls and frenzied screams at breakneck speed. A few songs in and half of the band have done away with their t-shirts leaving only bras and tattoos in what felt not like an invite to objectification but a furious challenge to it. An embrace of sexuality independent of the male gaze. The band’s use of all the space available to them made for an electrifying performance which concluded with bass playing whilst lying on the floor, in the crowd. Witch Fever gave a display of shameless female anger and empowerment. I’m interested to see them play a headline gig with a crowd perhaps a little readier to join in their antics. That would be a truly riotous show.

Last on was TVAM who took to the stage with a large CRT television and VCR, the kind your substitute teacher might have wheeled out in school. He’s setting up for what is one of the most unique visual performances I have seen in a while. Two new tracks start the ball rolling with fuzzy guitar riffs and strange distorted videos flashing away on the T.V. Looping motor-like synthesisers and mirrored images during second track “Narcissus” create an experience that is almost hypnotic. Next up is “Porsche Majeure”, a fan favourite. The tracks starts out with its beautiful and distinctly cosmic sounding 80s synth melody. Surf influenced guitar solos feature in between muffled vocals so echoey they become almost choral. The set concludes with a new personal favourite, the guitar heavy “Total Immersion”. I love the krautrock influence here. Find a good guitar riff and just keep playing it! It’s totally comfortable in its repetitiveness, becoming heavier during the choruses. Interestingly, “Total Immersion” is an instrumental but has accompanying words that go unsung. They flash on the screen of the VCR television like subliminal messaging. Highly effective subliminal messaging at that. Now when I listen to the track alone, I can almost hear the missing vocals. The piece continues through its mesmerizing spiral until it hits an abrupt end, firing you out of the psychedelic trip it pulled you through. TVAM has created a genuinely intense sonic and visual experience made all the more exciting because just one man is responsible for all of it.

Free Vibes and Amazing Radio brought together an eclectic mix of talented musicians for a roller-coaster of a night. I can’t wait to see what fresh and exciting artists will be at the next Free Vibes show.

9/10.

Hannah O’Gorman for Fuse FM.