Issue 58 / August 2015

30
Bido Lito! August 2015 Reviews
Cavalry (Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk)
stage after having a child, and spit staccato
anti-Conservative propaganda with the force
of nature and a voice unwavering, is just about
as empowering as it gets.
Mavis, of course, extends this trend,
delivering classics Freedom Highway, Respect
Yourself and I Like The Things About Me That I
Once Despised with a voice so big and low it
belies her tiny stature. She then takes a break
while her band of West Coast blues musicians
showcase their talents, playing on to a slide
guitar showdown. Returning to “take us all the
way back to 71”, the riff to Stax Records classic
I’ll Take You There reverberates through the
pristine white walls and wood-backed seats
of the Phil, and Mavis gives out the feistiest low
moan known to man. You know the one – that’s
it, I’m up in the aisle and giving it my best sidestepping
gospel clap.
After leaving the stage to a standing ovation,
Mavis returns to encore with The Band’s The
Weight, which she performed with The Staple
Singers at The Band’s final concert, captured
in film and record on The Last Waltz. She
may be singing about meeting the devil but
there’s something distinctively spiritual about
her presence, her almost God-like voice, only
amplified by the venue’s lush interior. I feel like
I’ve witnessed something truly, truly special.
May Mavis waltz on for a long time to come.
Bethany Garrett
CAVALRY
SeaWitches – Goodbye Horses - AJHD
EVOL @ The Kazimier
This show lands just a week before CAVALRY’s
Astral Coast appearance in New Brighton and
it’s obvious that pressure has built around the
lads after recent recognition from venerable
digital station 6Music. However, the band are
as focused as ever, elevated and extremely
animated, set to deliver the goods once again.
And, with a sterling support line-up, tonight’s
billing at the Kaz, announced fairly late in the
day, is set to be a cracker. The venue is perfect
for such an occasion, as much home-grown
talent is nurtured through this deservedly
mythologised city landmark.
AJHD kicks off proceedings with a blurring
rapture that meets someway between a
mixture of sonic reverberation, dystopian
swells and lo-fi industrialism. It is seriously
befitting to see these local lads coming into
their own. Their rapturous grunge vibes fill your
soul with melancholic angst. Keep your eyes
wide open for this group of talented musos;
they have direction and are likely to launch a
frontline assault in the near future.
Another beer down, and a short while later a
lovely little oddity takes to the stage: GOODBYE
HORSES. Unknown to the majority of people
in the crowd, although featuring familiar
faces from the same stable as local favourites
Strange Collective, this surprisingly fun and
charismatic duo are accompanied by their very
own electronic drummer-cum-MacBook. 303,
606 and 808 drum samples spring from the
venue’s PA system and the 67 Danelectrowielding
guitarist is in his element. Goodbye
Horses woo the crowd with what can only be
described as a half-hour-long trip. Envisage
the first time you watched Stanley Kubrick’s
classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Yeah, THAT
trippy. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test springs to
mind within the first five minutes of this sonic
journey. Infectious jangling surf-like guitars,
met by rumbling low-end frequencies and
infectious rhythmic bass is more than enough
to satisfy the crowd. Delay, upon reverb, upon
a 60s trip is good in my book, lads. Keep up
the good work.
SEAWITCHES look to further forward their
cause after a slew of successful gigs and a
much-praised performance at Sound City.
The atmosphere is perfect for their welcome
addition to the frame. However, the more
theatrical approach gives the immediate
impression that SeaWitches may not be
a particularly good fit for this show. Their
influences seem to be gathered from far afield,
and a lulled sense of confusion seems to follow,