Deerhunter + Lower Dens || Sound Control, Mcr || 30.03.11
Monday, April 4th, 2011, 1:56 pm
Deerhunter: Singer/guitarist Bradford Cox & bassist Josh Fauver
First things first, Ive never critiqued anything in my life, having said that though, I once had an idea to write a book based around a group of critics and what a bunch of egotistical self centred rat bastards they are. Thinking of these qualities and my own dubious morals ( being that i really enjoy having my name on a guest list! ) I decided to take Sam Scenewipe up on his most kindly offer of reviewing this gig, show, concert or whatever it is the kids say these days.
Anyway, the night starts most strangely, awaiting the bus I look up to see John Thompson (of cold feet fame) amidst what appears to be a small child’s birthday party. Regardless of old Thompson’s celebrations, I board my bus ( a stagecoach 143 ) and pop in my headphones to refresh myself with Deerhunter’s “Microcastle” album. Ok, this is going well, this is what critics do, all research and little notebook and pen in hand… This is easy, I can critique anything!
Whilst on said bus I notice what is possibly the largest queue I’ve ever seen trailing its way from Academy 1. This bunch of pre-pubescent hipsters accompanied by there rather un-hip and slightly embarrassed looking parents are queuing in their masses to watch Eliza Doolitle… who the hell is Eliza Doolittle? and where in gods name did she aquire this adolescent army of topshop wearing troops from? there are so many of them that I feel slightly un-nerved.
Sincere apologies for my slight digression there…so…I arrive at sound control at precisely 7:41 meet up with Sam at 7:53, we both smoke a rolled up cigarette and enter the venue. I’m delighted to discover that my name has been spelt correctly on the guest list and then proceed to go upstairs just in time to see solemn support act, Lower Dens. The sound that these four Baltimore residents make resides somewhere between a rather noisier Electralane and more atmospheric………..(add what you will here)….. I was glad to see Rufus Hound on bass duties, who still managed to crack a few gags whilst waiting for guitarist /vocalist Jana Hunter to re-string her guitar. overall a very good show which would of been worth the admission fee alone. Repetition, big loud effect-laden guitars and barely there whispered boy/girl vocals = YES PLEASE!
Lower Dens : Guitarist/vocalsit Jana Hunter
So interval time brings me and Sam face to face with a Chester resident dressed head to toe in Beige! He proceeds to tell us how he much prefers Manchester music shops to Chester ones at which I tell him that i bought my first Bass and also Guitar from Back Ally Music in Chester, which is when he starts to tell us both what total dicks the staff are there… For the record I don’t agree with Beige Man, and found the staff there to be both funny and charming. After our informing chat with Chester’s Beige-est man, I leave Sam to grab a drink from the bar…Horrific mistake! I turn around to discover a massively overcrowded mess of an audience and Deerhunter mid-way through what must be their second song. I somehow lodge myself between a wall and some guy that looks so disinterested that he may as well of been sleeping.
What with all this constant hustling towards the front it takes until a mid-set “Desire Lines” for me to get fully into proceedings. Seriously, what’s the fascination with being at the front of a gig? I like a bit of space to vibe out and being next to people who do not insist on jabbering there way through the show. A few things of merit though during my un-into it part of the show; some guys trying to get a dustbin crowd surfing, all beach ball-esque, and one dude constantly making a bird sign with his hands above his head! Great stuff, things we need more of at gigs.
Deerhunter appear to be very attached to a pineapple which they have brought on stage with them, I can only imagine this pineapple was part of their rider and having no knife to cut into its yellow juicy flesh decided the only sane thing to do was have it accompany them on stage. Front-man, Bradford Cox, appeared to be more than a little obsessed with his magical vibe lighting, which I liked as I also appreciated this nice oil lamp light effect. the magical vibe light seemed to work best as did the music when they went into their jammy segments. The overall effect of this giant wall of sound is something close to being transported to the magical landscape that they themselves seem to see and are also kind enough to give us all a glimpse into, even if its only for a short while.
The geek in me wants to also point out that my stand out tracks were “nothing ever happened” and the encore of “cover me (slowly)” which went into “Agoraphobia”, nice little moments of transcendence.
Leaving the gig I wonder if Eliza Doolittle’s Topshop troops had experienced such magic and truly hoped for their sakes that they had…oh, me and Sam also noticed on our way home that Happy Days in Fallowfield now do a “Plain burger” for 99p but as i don’t eat meat and it also looked like shit we didn’t try it.
http://supadoodles.blogspot.com/
WORDS by Michael Dunbabin | PHOTOS by Gordon Jackson
Comments
Leave a Reply