Issue 33 / May 2013

work is aired, building majestically before its
denouement: an impressive showcase for Ryder-
Jones’ material in microcosm.
Richard Lewis
FICTION
Broken Men – The Shadow Theatre
Evol @ The Shipping Forecast
It comes as little surprise that a strong line-up
of killer bands makes for a cushy set up for any
headliner, which tonight happens to be FICTION.
Before we meet the main billing, the plethora
of musical offerings is, in layperson’s terms,
boss. THE SHADOW THEATRE regale the modest
crowd with intense, Ian Curtis-styled vocals
and an amalgamation of heart-pumping drums,
guttural bass and classic fast-paced indie guitar.
Following them, suited and booted BROKEN
MEN give a typically raucous performance of
rock ‘n’ blues, clearly in a jovial mood as they
run through their set, as proven by the bassist’s
intermittent maniacal laughter.
At this point the presence of Huw Stephens
lurking at the back is an unspoken source of
excitement for the room, which is gearing up
for the main attraction. Having said that, it is
a bit of an uncomfortable moment as Fiction
take to the stage: one gets the impression that
their art-school aesthetic is somewhat lost on
the audience as one egged-on member shouts
“geography!” at the shy-looking group. Initially
the awkwardness of this situation seems to
dominate the first few songs. Thankfully, a
badly told Beatles joke by bassist David Miller
seems to ease the pressure and the band
relax into latest single Careful. Phew. There
seems to be an inane number of effects pedals
peppering the stage, which are used to their full
potential in the track, creating several layered
sound references, from 80s synth pop to choir
vocals. The percussive side of things takes hold
on track Think, with a smattering of djembeinfluenced
drum effects. The impression is
that Fiction have thought about this aspect
of their sound: visually, the drums are the
centrepiece of the stage; it seems almost as
if each member is playing faced towards their
drummer instead of their audience. Given
this fact, it does not help things when said
drummer seems to slip periodically out of
time when it comes to the more ambitious
drum arrangements of tracks such as The
Apple. More solidly performed tracks like Be
Clear cover the unfortunate cracks for the rest
of the set and, eventually, everyone seems to
be having a nice time. Perhaps the size of the
venue, the presence of Mr Stephens, or simply
tour fatigue are to blame, but tonight Fiction
do not deliver the artfully-crafted sound
promised on The Big Other, having seemingly
overstretched themselves.
Flossie Easthope / @feasthope