Issue 90 / July 2018

Car Seat Headrest (Kevin Barrett / @Kev_Barrett)
Car Seat Headrest
Harvest Sun @ Invisible Wind Factory –
19/05
Amid the confusing, gratuitous joviality that comes with a Royal
wedding and the blinding optimism that breeds with the transition
that into warmer seasons, there’s always room for self-deprecation
and anxious cuts of heartache, desire and mental see-sawing.
The vehicle for this, tonight, is Will Toledo’s band CAR SEAT
HEADREST, as they arrive at the Invisible Wind Factory for the
Liverpool leg of their European tour. The tour follows a re-recording
of Twin Fantasy, an album originally released seven years ago, in
what looked like a confusing creative choice after the critical triumph
of 2016’s Teens Of Denial. This time round, Twin Fantasy boasts a
well-rounded, refined production in contrast to the lo-fi bedroom
recording of the original. However, it still carries the authenticity and
rawness that’s evoked in the joys and pains of teenage angst.
The room is packed tonight with new and old fans of Toledo’s
music and the front is a centrifuge of energy, as the band deliver
the sharp, decisive sound of one of the most up-beat tracks from
Twin Fantasy, Body’s, which has Toldeo, arched and running
on the spot, creating an infectious aura of self-release. (Joe
Gets Kicked Out Of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But
Gerry Cinnamon
+ Dylan John Thomas
Harvest Sun @ O2 Academy – 19/05
The streets of Liverpool ring with chants from shirtless fans
to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s Give it Up ahead of
tonight’s main attraction, GERRY CINNAMON. With Saltires
raised from a loyal contingent and, with spirits high, it is clear
that tonight we are in for a rowdy one. Off the back of his
album Erratic Cinematic, released in September last year, the
Glaswegian-born artist has had a short but very direct route to
becoming one of Britain’s most exciting prospects. Supporting
the likes of John Power and Ocean Colour Scene, as well as
booking a return to this year’s TRNSMT festival, Cinnamon has
seen his efforts recognised by wider audiences and a huge
growth in popularity.
Through the doors and into the blue-lit sanctum of the
Academy, support act DYLAN JOHN THOMAS warms up
the crowd with a confident rendition of The Stone Roses’
classic Waterfall and sets the scene for a nostalgic singalong
accompanied by a luscious head of afro hair and a smart Fred
Perry tracksuit. After thanking the crowd, Thomas moves off the
stage and the wait begins. Not a single moment passes where
the air is not filled with football ground chants for the fans’ main
man as the anticipation builds to a point of near explosion. On
walks Gerry Cinnamon with flat cap in hand, with every ounce
of humble and appreciative feeling towards the support this
assembly have given him.
Moving through the set, Belter receives the most raucous of
Says This Isn’t A Problem) gifts the crowd with their first taste
of anthemic catharsis; the song is also an excellent showcase
of Toldeo’s songwriting ability, incorporating an earnest
accessibility with an off-hand, wry sense of humour.
The set takes a slight inhale as the band embark on a cover of
Frank Ocean’s White Ferrari, it makes for a pleasant transition in
to the melancholic Twin Fantasy (Those Boys), which builds to a
soothing crescendo, although its somewhat ignored and muffled by
the crowd’s mumbled chatter.
The performance is punctuated by Toldeo and the band’s
sharp wit and freedom on stage; they’re able to carry the emotion
of the songs in a way that encourages a togetherness and a
carefree emancipation around the room. The encore features
the haunting, yet melodic and touching Sober To Death, which
again touches on the themes of mental health, loneliness and
relationships, giving the crowd the last opportunity for an
impassioned singalong. The set concludes with the 13-minutelong
Beach Life-In-Death, which could be deemed self-indulgent,
but at this point I have to admit my surprise at their ability to lift
a crowd and keep them there with songs laden with such dark
subjects. But this is to underestimate the cleverness of Toldeo’s
song writing and the ability of the band to crash through the
songs, with vigour and angst, while being able to produce a
refined sound; a fine example of what a lot of modern-day rock
bands are missing.
Jonny Winship / @jmwinship
responses as Cinnamon tells the Liverpool crowd that this one
is about “ma wee missus”. With soul-bearing lyrics such as “She
dances in my dreams, reminds me that the world is not as evil as
it seems”, an insight into a bigger picture of the current state of
things outside the venue shared by all involved. Halfway through
this energetic and politically charged performance, Cinnamon
stops to thank the fans for their continued support and dedicates
all of his efforts to any young and aspiring musicians. In his broad
Glaswegian accent he says; “Don’t let anyone get you down, if
you can do it with a heartbeat and no band, you can do whatever
the fuck you want!” With this powerful and inspiring message
resonating around the room, everyone is fuelled and the mood
turns electric. The walls cannot contain this one-man assault on
modern times and its conventions as Cinnamon works through
other huge favourites Sometimes and Diamonds In The Mud,
which give us an intimate look into his modest roots and how he
holds them accountable even as fame presents itself.
After closing on a stripped-down version of I Wanna Be Adored,
the masses snap out of their trancelike state to roar their relentless
support for their Scottish ringleader and the buzz that remains
courses through each individual as they exit. There does not seem
to be a limit to the potential here as Cinnamon seems genuinely
grounded and thankful for the position he finds himself in. He
provides an example of why financial backing isn’t always necessary
for success in a commercialised music industry and that, even
without a label, the very highest quality in delivery and songwriting
still exists. With an instantly identifiable appearance and an honest
perception on social commentary it is hard to resist the charm and,
based on this admirable and unapologetic performance, I’m sure we
will be hearing more from this potent lyricist.
Jake Penn / @p3nno
Benjamin Zephaniah
WoWFest18 @ Philharmonic Hall – 20/05
Rastafarian wordsmith BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH is in
Liverpool tonight in support of his memoir, The Life And
Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah, but the event isn’t a simple
history and a few readings. Zephaniah is a performer, so he
performs, taking us on a journey through excerpts from his
life interspersed with poems, with WowFest18’s theme of
Crossing Borders at its core.
He begins with his mother, who saw a poster encouraging
West Indians to come to Britain to live and work (I Love Me
Mudder). He returns to the theme of the Windrush generation
often, focusing on national events both past and present, and
includes racist incidents from his own life, starting with being
picked as cricket team captain at primary school when he
hadn’t ever played the game and doesn’t like it (“really slow
and reminds me of colonialism” – a witty observation that really
hits home: no Lara, Lloyd, Sobers et al without colonialism?),
and the racism to which he is now, after the 2016 referendum,
being subjected for the first time since the 70s.
More challenging of the orthodoxy comes as he observes
that secondary school taught him that Christopher Columbus
“discovered” black people. He mentions that he was expelled
from a few schools, with one teacher telling him he’d end
up dead or serving a life sentence – words which eventually
propelled him out of his bed and Birmingham hometown.
He skates over the life he was leading – but it’s detailed in
the book – merely stating that he left one ‘gang’ for another
(London’s artistic community).
After Us An Dem, and some shocking statistics on child
poverty, illiteracy, women’s status and more, he returns to his
mother’s decision to come to Britain and the repercussions
this decision is having for the many who made it – and their
descendants. Even people born here feel unsafe: “We don’t
know what our final solution is going to be yet.” He’s been
on planes carrying people who are being extradited, so he
knows about what he speaks, and in The Death Of Joy Gardner
observes: “She’s illegal, so deport her/Said the Empire that
brought her”, words which, sadly, have a chilling pertinence
today.
After a mood-lightening foray into veganism, travel
broadening the mind, India’s sadhus and more, the
performance part of the evening ends and it’s time for the
Q&A.
Asked about Rastafarianism and weed, he explains that
marijuana is a holy herb for Rastafarians, not a drug, but that
he has liberated himself from both religion and weed via
meditation: “I’ve learned to get high from breathing” – good
advice for us all.
After Talking Turkeys, the night is over, but lines from Rong
Radio Station linger during the walk home: “I was beginning
not to trust me, in fact, I wanted to arrest me/I’ve been listening
to the wrong radio station”, with their implication that we can
re-tune that radio station to a more positive one. Turn on, tune
in… activate.
Debra Williams / @wordsanddeeds1
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