The reverence paid to Low is something few people might understand, certainly anyone not inside The Sage tonight to witness this rarest of shows might query the worship at least. Low, the trio of Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Taylor and Steve Garrington are so unassuming on stage and beguiling whilst creating such minimal music, so sparse it's paradoxically weightier in expectation.
The 'quietest band' ever tag has followed, even plagued, them throughout their career and as a direct response to this, to losing long time former bassist Zak Sally and perhaps commentating more overtly on the 'noise' of modern life with all it's horrors and doubts their recent albums, 2005's 'The Great Destroyer' and 2007's 'Drums and Guns' saw the amps turned up and buzzing, sampled undercurrents flowing throughout.
It's from Drums and Guns that the backbone of tonight's set is compiled. 'Dragonfly', 'Murderer' and 'Sandinista' stand out as the pitch perfect vocals spar with the visceral music. But it's certainly not the doom and gloomfest any unfamiliar listener might expect, Sparhawk in particular is on jocular form dealing with the occasional request for a 'hit' shouted from a darkened corner. It must be difficult to be held in such high esteem where fans have such a breadth of favourites that you can only cull from the set.
Still there are many songs cherry picked from the many other great albums spanning Low's 15 year career which are included. Seminal album 'Things We Lost In The Fire' gets a good airing, 'Sunflower', 'In Metal' and the ultra minimal 'Laser Beam' are sublime and when 'Dinosaur Act' Kicks in there's a warm glow around the gathered crowd. Other gems include a lengthy version of 'Pissing' full of foreboding and dread and the simply beautiful 'Lion/Lamb' and whereas I could happily sit through a few more hours at least I have to concede to being sated enough and after one encore the sermon is over.
www.chairkickers.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Monday 21 April 2008
Friday 18 April 2008
Blood Red Shoes - Live: 16th Apr 2008
A succinct appraisal of the two support acts tonight from two gig attending friends - 1984 (Gallic three piece with one tune) Friend 1, "France Ferdinand"; Them Amazing Babies (from Newcastle with no tunes) Friend 2 - mishearing singer "Did he say,'Them Disabled Babies'?". Quite possibly...
So to Blood Red Shoes who keep us waiting an interminable amount of time for no real reason it seems. Fears that they've gone for a few jars around town and had the soft southern shite kicked out of their pretty heads are eventually dispelled though and although they tentatively take to the stage like a pair of frightened rabbits Laura-Mary and Steven soon find their stride. Opening with 'It's Getting Boring By The Sea' one of the catchiest moments from debut album 'Box Full of Secrets' the pace doesn't really relent for the full set bar a few gasps for breathe from the energetic duo. 'You Bring Me Down' and 'I Wish I was Someone Better' keep the tempo high.
Watching Blood Red Shoes is a bit like watching tennis in that your eyes are always darting back and forth as they thrash on the guitar and drums respectively and duel with the vocals. The album's fantastic and live they make even more sense as they manage to make an impossibly loud (metal!?) sound at times. It's a a genuine pleasure they they seem bemused whilst humbly smiling when the crowd claps and sings along. They've got a modesty which will probably be lose it's soft edge over time but right now it's translated into an enthusiasm for simply playing their album to the people who've bought it.
Returning to the stage for an encore they play off the setlist and take requests from the floor. To be totally honest they pair look knackered and it's with a relief I suspect that they finish up and promise to come back sooner than the 18 months since their last visit. Good, can't wait.
www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
So to Blood Red Shoes who keep us waiting an interminable amount of time for no real reason it seems. Fears that they've gone for a few jars around town and had the soft southern shite kicked out of their pretty heads are eventually dispelled though and although they tentatively take to the stage like a pair of frightened rabbits Laura-Mary and Steven soon find their stride. Opening with 'It's Getting Boring By The Sea' one of the catchiest moments from debut album 'Box Full of Secrets' the pace doesn't really relent for the full set bar a few gasps for breathe from the energetic duo. 'You Bring Me Down' and 'I Wish I was Someone Better' keep the tempo high.
Watching Blood Red Shoes is a bit like watching tennis in that your eyes are always darting back and forth as they thrash on the guitar and drums respectively and duel with the vocals. The album's fantastic and live they make even more sense as they manage to make an impossibly loud (metal!?) sound at times. It's a a genuine pleasure they they seem bemused whilst humbly smiling when the crowd claps and sings along. They've got a modesty which will probably be lose it's soft edge over time but right now it's translated into an enthusiasm for simply playing their album to the people who've bought it.
Returning to the stage for an encore they play off the setlist and take requests from the floor. To be totally honest they pair look knackered and it's with a relief I suspect that they finish up and promise to come back sooner than the 18 months since their last visit. Good, can't wait.
www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
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