Issue 42 / March 2014

More documents

Info

NATHANIEL RATELIFF Thomas J. Speight – Lewis Veakins Harvest Sun @ Leaf Despite the name, Leaf was clearly not green enough for American country folk artist NATHANIEL RATELIFF and his band of travelling troubadours, as they arrive with instruments adorned with their own portable foliage. Such eccentricity (is that keyboardist wearing a scarf, INSIDE?!) thankfully sits comfortably in the gorgeous yet mildly derelict venue, illuminated as it is by streams of softly glowing bulbs and more mirror balls than can really be necessary. Before they can present their blend of crippling loneliness and American pastoralism, however, local singer-songwriter LEWIS VEAKINS takes to the stage, tasked with warming us up with his indie ballads. He does a fine job, sounding well rounded with a style that varies with each new song, preventing the monotony that can be difficult to shake when you fit into the manwith-guitar template. Although at times his lyrics and vocal style skirt too close to that trendy Bastille-esque tortured-but-not-really-indie fad, his occasional swearword-strewn mania helps counter-balance this and convince the audience he means what he sings. Hot on Lewis’ heels comes THOMAS J. SPEIGHT and accompanying singer Evelyn Burke. The pair are sickeningly cheerful and almost seem like some kind of cruel joke coming before the troubled confessions of Rateliff, but in terms of musical quality they are consistent and pleasant, if unremarkable. Speight’s songs sound like the stuff you remember your dad listening to, but the gorgeous harmonies the two produce help compensate; Burke’s voice is probably more capable than Speight’s, but his rougher tones complement her more cultivated ones beautifully. The songs themselves are just too twee, filled with just about every romantic country cliché there is – after several brave attempts at getting the crowd involved, and even taking a march amongst the audience at one point, I’m left thinking that this duo are lucky they’re playing to such an accommodating bunch. Nathaniel Rateliff’s eventual entrance feels rather subdued after Speight’s optimistic energy, and the lights seem paler and our beverages suddenly sadder. I’m struck by how world-weary the man looks; his faded tattoos and strange jewellery all seem relics of a rich and troubled past, and his southern drawl and cowboy hat only exaggerate this. He opens with Falling Faster Than You Can Run, which at once reinforces the Western melancholy that has swallowed the Bold Street venue. Along with Rateliff’s own powerful presence, his band are far more than just filler – in particular, some excellent cello playing in Shroud makes for an experience that suggests Nick Cave at his most moody. Rateliff’s quality lies in his ability to conjure a mood and hammer it home, and every song contributes in its own unique way to the crushing atmosphere presented – by the end, the audience is as silent, sullen, and glazed as if we’d all been simultaneously divorced and handed whiskey. Even the more energetic songs, such as Still Trying, find power in their thunderous melancholy, and Rateliff’s own authentic delivery spreads an infectious desperation that leaves gooseflesh in its wake. Rateliff’s eventual encore ends with Early Spring Till, an absolute highlight – its pervasive quietness is shattered by the great climactic chorus and the tearful applause of the delighted crowd. Your Bag? HIGHFIELDS Moats - Singapore Strategy Fred Johnson Catch Luke Sital-Singh at Leaf on 1st March New Blood Club @ The Shipping Forecast Local trio SINGAPORE STRATEGY storm onto the stage with an explosion of feisty post-rock noise, which is veritably bursting with incredible energy and teenage aggression. Describing their music as noise is actually unfair and pretty reductive, as it would suggest that all three members are in competition to see who can bash/strum/pluck their instruments with the most ferocity. Which is what it looks like at first. However, if this was indeed the case, then I don’t think they would sound quite so brilliant. Singapore Strategy are running a pretty tight ship here, and their music, despite its chaotic quality, is very cohesive. The constant change of direction within their songs, from funky Foals-like math rock to the heartfelt Explosions In The Sky-style breakdowns, is so effortless and in such perfect unison, it displays all three members' extraordinary knowledge of each bandmate’s components within the performance as well as their own. The Liverpool teens have certainly raised the bar high tonight. MOATS, next act up, are the band that have impressed me most with their recorded material. And luckily, listening to the frontman’s husky King- Krule-esque vocals get swallowed up in haunting soundscapes, only to re-emerge, howling, over a flurry of post-punk percussion, they are just as absorbing live as on record. However, after witnessing Singapore Strategy lose their shit on stage, Moats’ live performance seriously lacks punch, and is a little disappointing. It’s difficult to imagine any act bettering our local post-rocking trio tonight, and when HIGHFIELDS begin setting up on stage, it seems almost impossible. After seeing the drummer sporting a flat cap and waistcoat I am positive that I’m about to witness a band’s desperate and dreary attempt to emulate Mumford & Sons, and I sigh before the headliners have even played a note. However, when Highfields’ set begins,
Reviews Bido Lito! March 2014 29 I am immediately reminded of that old saying: never judge a band by the drummer’s choice of headwear… As it turns out, the six-piece’s unique sound is capable of immediately transforming a crowd into one big mass of beaming faces and shuffling feet, and allowing one to sing along to songs they’ve never heard before. Their folk-like music completely brightens up the shadowy depths of The Hold, and makes you feel like you’re at a carnival somewhere, on a beach, with the sun shining overhead. Anything is possible. Tom Fennell POWERPLANT The Capstone Theatre The Capstone Theatre’s lecture-hall qualities deem it perfect for tonight's event. A concert hall would seem too lavish, and a club is out of the question, but the contemplative ambience that exudes from a place of study is what a POWERPLANT performance requires. Part physical, musical display and part electronic manipulation, with a bit of video art mixed in, Powerplant are as compelling as they are intriguing. The collective consist of sound designer Matthew Fairclough, visual artist Kathy Hinde and percussionist Joby Burgess. The show begins with a piece in seven parts composed by Gabriel Prokofiev. Against a backdrop of images of industry, Burgess utilises a number of unusual percussive instruments, beginning with an oil drum which at first makes sounds which are fragmented and sparse. However, with the use of sampling, the swell of the drum begins to grow until it becomes a deafening, rhythmic roar. Almost as soon as this crescendo is reached it is retracted, as though Burgess must refuse the listener the satisfaction of any such climax. This piece is clearly intended to unsettle, not to distract. Continuing with the theme of industrial waste, the next item to be introduced is a plastic bag, Powerplant (Nata Moraru) which is used by Burgess to imitate the sound of rain. As the last synthesised drop falls, his focus turns to a more shrill, sonic entity: the sound produced from a full glass bottle. Again, through the manipulation of live looping and signal processing, Powerplant create a symphony 1 HESKETH ST AIGBURTH, LIVERPOOL L17 8XJ 020 7232 0008
Page 1: FREE Issue 42 March 2014 VEYU by Jo
Page 4 and 5: News Sound City’s Second Wave LIV
Page 6 and 7: 6 Bido Lito! March 2014 Words: Josh
Page 8 and 9: Words: Richard Lewis Photography: R
Page 10 and 11: The Words: Mike Townsend / @townsen
Page 12 and 13: 12 Bido Lito! March 2014 Mike Badge
Page 14 and 15: How does a lemon sound? No, I’m n
Page 16: 16 Bido Lito! March 2014 Words: Rya
Page 19 and 20: LIVERPOOL’S INTERNATIONAL ARTS VE
Page 21 and 22: Home School Lane and Bido Lito! Mag
Page 24: 24 Bido Lito! March 2014 Reviews mu
Page 27: KICK START YOUR MUSIC PRODUCTION SK
Page 31 and 32: Youth Music Arts02 - Bido Ad.pdf 1
Page 33 and 34: Making Liverpool sound great ... ca
Page 35 and 36: I DESIGN BIDO LITO! // LUKE-AVERY.C
Page 37 and 38: + + ! ! "# "#
Page 39: Science Fiction: New Death This maj

Issue 42 / March 2014

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?