THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF BOB LOG III + THOMAS TRUAX

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF 

BOB LOG III + THOMAS TRUAX

Live at Night & Day Cafe, Manchester. Sunday 4th March 2018.

 

What does a person do when they are confronted with a man in a suit playing a drying machine drainage pipe... Followed by another man dressed in a golden onesie, wearing a racing helmet, playing steel guitar whilst floating in an inflatable boat across all of our heads!?!?!

For the last few years I've been an absolute gig addict with no genres off bounds. I've seen Test Dept. pouring oil to trigger a grandfather clock to play a drumbeat. I've seen Botanist make Black Metal using a harmonium and hammered dulcimer, whilst dressed up as trees! I've seen a man swallow a microphone and make beats by patting his belly! I thought I'd seen it all... Until this fateful evening!

This is NOT a review of Bob Log III & Thomas Truax, because nothing I can possibly write will accurately describe the music and the experience that I have witnessed...!!!

THOMAS TRUAX

Tonight's first one man band was New Yorker Thomas Truax, performing in an elegant suit. Bizarre curios adorned the stage beside him, including Mother Superior, his home made drum machine. This complex contraption was made from a bicycle wheel attached to miniature snares and kick drum. By adjusting the spokes he could set up different looped beats, triggered from a pedal at his feet.

Thomas Truax began his set fairly conventionally, opening with a vocal driven piece on his Hornicator, a lopped off gramophone speaker with a microphone inside. Using loop pedals he was able to layer cavernous, reverberated vocals and then sing over these bizarre loops. Truax then took the crazy levels down a notch, showcasing a steel guitar, performing a couple of Americana flavoured ballads. His energy and stage presence was roaring as he launched into the crowd with his guitar and told stories between songs that had the packed out crowd in fits of laughter.

The finale of his set got really bizarre, bringing out an instrument devised from a drying machine drainage pipe. He attached a cable to the pillar at the side of the stage, plucking it at different lengths to change the key, whilst blowing into said drainage pipe to create otherworldly sounds. His big finale saw Night & Day plunged into darkness as he performed 'Beehive Heart' ("Bob Log III asked me to play this one tonight, because he needed it to be in his head") with spinning, neon lit glasses.

Nothing I can say here can accurately describe the amount of strangeness and uniqueness that Thomas Truax created. He not only invented new instruments, but created sounds and vibes I'd never experienced in the flesh before. His confidence and charm was absolutely effervescent. Go see this man live, or at least listen to his music and watch some YouTube videos!!! 9/10.

BOB LOG III

Our second one man band of the night was Phoenix, Arizona born Bob Log the Third! Dressed in a golden onesie and a racing helmet with an old school telephone attached at the mouth, he sat on a stool, steel guitar in hand, a kick drum at one foot and a snare at the other! His mission for the evening was to create a ruckus, turning Night & Day into the best Sunday party atmosphere in Manchester this evening! 

Bob Log III is an absolute wild man, fingering and twanging his guitar with no mercy! The slightly ragged and distorted sound of his guitar occasionally dabbled into noisy and discordant territory, adding to the Bluegrass madness. His vocals also were distorted and obscured, most likely by his racing helmet, often unintelligible, yet adding a weirdness to the overall cacophony of bizarre sounds. Because he was twanging away on his guitar, and drumming with both feet at the same time, IN A RACING HELMET, his playing wasn't always on point, something losing his timing on the beats, but it just added more charm and honesty to his performance.

Bob Log III's biggest tour-de-force though was his magnificent stage presence. He really got the crowd involved, jumping into an inflatable boat and sailing across peoples heads as he twanged that guitar! He even filled a child's paddling pool and dog bowl fool of booze. He played with a sheer joy. "Wow Manchester, you're lucky, I've never played that song so good in my life!!!" If I could see the face behind the mask, I'm sure it would have had a huge grin on it. Night & Day became privy to one of the most fun and bizarre hoedowns of all time! Once again, this is an act and a performance that no matter how hard I try and describe, I can never clearly sum up unless you go and see him for yourself in the flesh, which I HIGHLY recommend you do! 9/10.

LIVE REVIEW: MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL'S DARK MATTER HIGHLIGHTS

The Manchester International Festival is an annual event that spans many weeks and venues taking all creative art forms such as live music, poetry, theatre and more. Every year the festival gets more ambitious and creative, truly thinking outside the box and pushing the limits of what a festival can entail. Highlights of MIF 2017 included New Order, Fatherland, Arcade Fire and Dark Matter...

Dark Matter is just one small slice of the festival. A series of individual live shows favouring musicians known for making very dark, experimental and otherworldly music. Dark Matter has been curated by British DJ, journalist and BBC Radio 6 presenter Mary Anne Hobbs. Eight headlining acts performed over the duration of the festival, including LEVELZ, Holly Herndon, Paleman, The Haxan Cloak, Clark, Kojey Radical, Colin Stetson and Sunn O))). There were also brilliant DJ sets from the likes of Demdike Stare, Akkord and Mary Anne Hobbs herself. Sadly I wasn't able to attend all of the shows, but I wanted to give a shout out to the ones I did attend. It's brilliant that MIF and Mary Anne Hobbs were able to give such a prominent platform to strange, experimental and esoteric underground music.


PALEMAN
Gorilla. 6/7/17.

Manchester raised Paleman began his craft as a Jazz drummer and it is clear that he implements that into his sound. Not only was Paleman twiddling knobs and triggering samples on stage, but also adding live percussion along the way. He worked on improvisation, sculpting off kilter techno beats with icy cold synths. He delivered many peaks and troughs in his music, with the calmer parts evoking spacey atmospheres, soon leading into upbeat, lively passages that got the crowd dancing. The dim lighting and room full of fog helped to enhance a special atmosphere created by Paleman. His music was slow building, yet playful.


THE HAXAN CLOAK
Gorilla. 7/7/17.

The Haxan Cloak (real name Bobby Krlic) is a Yorkshire born Producer who has worked with Bjork, The Body, and even created film and TV scores. But when it comes to his solo act, Krlic likes to get sinister! The Haxan Cloak is one of the best modern names in Dark Ambient music, essentially creating scary soundscapes inspired by the music and atmospheres of horror and nightmares. The entire performance felt almost like one continuous piece of music, beginning slow like a glacier as long drawn out, ominous synths gathered in intensity. Krlic gradually built up layers of eerie and unsettling effects such as buzzing static, escalating noise, scraping and clanging sounds. The way The Haxan Cloak is able to allure an audience through gradual build ups and a foreboding sense of dread is mesmerizing. The use of strobe lights and thick smoke just added to the atmosphere. Only towards the second half of his set, did pulsing Industrial beats become more commonplace. The finale of his show in particular lead even greater towards Industrial Electronic music, with heavy, pounding beats and piercing noise that rumbled and shook your entire body. Krlic's show is incredibly loud and truly akin to a live horror experience. 


CLARK
02 Ritz. 8/7/17.

Warp Records veteran Chris Clark delivered a whole new stage show to the MIF in support of his latest album 'Death Peak'. Clark performed practically the entire album in full (though sequenced differently) plus some welcome oldies such as 'Winter Linn' and 'Superscope'. Clark really went all out with the light show, which was a true spectacle to watch. Each tune he played had its own choreographed colour scheme and lasers projecting trippy patterns towards the crowd. He even had two masked dancer girls on stage performing improvised dance routines to Clark's music. Certainly not an easy task considering how wonky his music is, switching up tempos and rhythms frantically. Though Clark isn't the "darkest" of the Dark Matter lineup, his eclectic body of music suitably strikes a fine balance between different moods and shades. His beats are incredibly heavy, pounding through the Ritz's bouncy dancefloor like a pneumatic drill. He truly got the crowd dancing the whole way through. Clark is so fascinating to watch on stage, not just because of the incredible visual show accompanying him, but just seeing how busy he gets. He is constantly moving up and down his large desk of Electronic apparatus, flicking switches, triggering samples and adjusting mixers, breaking into a sweat almost immediately. If anyone believes that Electronic music is just somebody standing behind a laptop pressing buttons, then Clark is here to prove you wrong!

SUNN O)))
02 Ritz. 15/7/17

Closing MIF's Dark Matter series was one of the weirdest and most experimental bands on earth. Seattle's Drone masters Sunn O))) are renown for being perhaps the loudest band in existence. The core duo of Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley have featured in countless influential Extreme Metal bands, usually favouring the slowest and heaviest riffs in existence. Sunn O))) is definitely their most well known act, taking the concept of amplifier worship to the utmost extreme (and not just their name). The band perform in Sith Lord style cloaks in front of a colossal and intimidating wall of massive Sunn guitar amps. Over the years their touring line-up has continued to expand, tonight performing as a 5 piece. O'Malley and Anderson deafened audiences with their guitars, whilst the addition of two extra players on keyboards, electronics and even a Drone trombone added more layers to the sonic chaos. Attila Csihar, long time vocalist of the controversial Black Metal pioneers Mayhem, also performed a highly eclectic vocal display, as well as dressing in some elaborate costumes. Their music is so damn slow, that they have no use for a live drummer to keep a beat or tempo.

Sunn O))) are very much a love it or hate it kind of band, even causing debate among extreme music fans. One numpty in the crowd even yelled 'GET ON WITH IT' 10 minutes into Attila Csihar's widely versatile ritualistic chanting intro. I was genuinely dumbfounded by this rude interruption, hoping it was some kind of self-aware irony.  Personally I consider Sunn O))) to be true explorers, pushing the boundaries of what music can be perceived as further and further. In a nutshell, Sunn O))) performed for 90 minutes performing what is essentially just a note, or a chord, dragged into an infinite abyss. However because of their dynamic sound setup, the rumbling guitar drones were so incredibly, ear punishingly loud that the listener ends up confronting sound itself face to face. You can feel every wave and texture pulsing through your entire body. Sometimes it can be a scary and painful experience, as you feel all your bones rattling and it feels like your head is about to explode, but there are parts of it that are generally soothing, like getting a deep massage. In a sense, by attending a Sunn O))) concert, you become one with the force of sound. It genuinely is the closest I have come to being able to physically feel music travelling through my body.

Even though the music of Sunn O))) is incredibly patience testing, their visual show was very exciting. A thick wall of smoke constantly filled the room, enhancing the sinister atmosphere. The sight of the amps and the mysterious cloaked men looked akin to an occult ritual for guitar fans. Vocalist Attila Csihar was by far the most animated on stage, delivering not only a great vocal performance but a physical display too. Near the end of the show he came out in a suit made of reflective mirror shards (reminiscent of their latest album sleeve for 'Kannon') and shot laser beams from his fingertips. The show seemed to drift slowly through different movements. It began with a chanting vocal warm up from Attila, followed by all 5 players demolishing Manchester with a monolith of loud noise. Some players would then drift in and out of the performance, allowing the drones to modulate, as if they were growing and shrinking in weight. Sunn O))) ended the performance with just the core duo droning away on their guitars. Despite the Sunn O))) live show essentially being 90 minutes of listening to one note, I still find them to be one of the most gripping, exciting, unique and thrilling live acts I've ever experienced. Sunn O))) are a landmark act in the field of the avant-garde. True experimentalists on a mission to shock audiences as well as defy perceptions of music and art altogether. What a perfect way to end MIF's Dark Matter showcase.

LIVE REVIEW: MORASS OF MOLASSES + BATTALIONS, SIGIRIYA & GAUL

MORASS OF MOLASSES
BATTALIONS
SIGIRIYA
GAUL

Live at The Star & Garter Manchester. May 20th 2017. Presented by Up From Under.

GAUL

Opening a night of Stoner Rock was Manchester's own Gaul. I've seen this band already last year but they had a different vocalist, so it was interesting to hear them again with a shifted line-up. Current vocalist Chris Whitehouse stepped up to the plate with an exquisite gravelly tone in his voice and plenty of power and enthusiasm. His reverberated growls and wails were very reminiscent of Kyuss frontman John Garcia. At times though the reverb was a bit too strong and his voice occasionally disappeared into the ether. 

Unfortunately Gaul had a bit of a cock up on the second song and had to start it again. I feel like this knocked their confidence a bit during the performance, although they did get back into their stride towards the end of their set. The performance was entertaining enough, but musically it was quite by the numbers Stoner Rock, with the kind of riffs I've already heard performed similarly and bettered by many other bands that play Metal shows in Manchester. I feel like Gaul need to chuck in a few more surprises and find a unique sound in order to deliver something really memorable in the future. 6/10.

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SIGIRIYA

This was my first time seeing and hearing Sigiriya who have traveled from Swansea to play here tonight. Though they expressed a similar sound and style to openers Gaul, they took it up a level by playing with much more power, passion and urgency. Their self described "Mountain Rock" certainly livened up the crowd and the band were very tight and confident on stage. They tried out some new songs from a forthcoming release with plenty of gusto. Sigiriya ended their set with a song that is apparently adapted from Welsh folklore, but to me it sounds like a storming and stomping Stoner gem. Again, not a particularly unique or memorable set of songs, but certainly a strong performance. 7/10.

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BATTALIONS

Replacing Barbarian Hermit at the last minute was Battalions from Hull. Battalions stood out the most on tonight's bill. Whilst they did churn out some bluesy and groovy Stoner riffs like the other bands, their sound was much more diverse. Their wild frontman was fascinating to watch on stage, moving about with so much energy. He had a really extreme vocal style, belting out indecipherable shrieks reminiscent of Jacob Bannon from Converge. The way that Battalions mixed up their tempos made them really exciting and unpredictable on stage. They were able to transition slow, crushing riffs, head nodding grooves and even more unforgiving Hardcore riffs, all seamlessly. In particular, 'Shitstormtroopers' got a huge reaction from the crowd with a massive riff that kept slowing down, getting heavier and heavier each time. 8/10.

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MORASS OF MOLASSES

Tonight's headliners have just released their brand new album 'These Paths We Tread' a day beforehand so it was an exciting time to catch the trio live. MOM set the dark and moody Star & Garter stage alight with a colourful performance that oozed confidence and finesse. The trio pounded us with slow and swampy riffs that sounded huge. Self described as "Disco Doom", their songs were deceptively simple with nods to classic Stoner bands such as Sleep and Electric Wizard, but with a more cheerful and upbeat mood. Vocalist Bones' prominently clean wailing vocals were refreshing and were on pitch perfect form tonight.

For me, there was far too much yapping in between the songs, with crude stories between each song that all revolved around the male genitals, but it was cool that they got the crowd involved, and the punters certainly were enjoying themselves throughout. The banter did seem to eat into the set time quite a bit though! Regardless, MOM were very enjoyable to watch and that thick, fuzzy sound of theirs hit the sweet spot. In particular the opening track of their latest album 'My Leviathan' really enticed the crowd tonight. All the best to Morass of Molasses with their album release tour! 8/10.

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LIVE REVIEW: THUNDER AT HMV MANCHESTER

Artists that perform at HMV stores tend to be new and upcoming acts. The likes of Sam Smith, James Bay and Shura have all performed to die hard fans before blowing up. But occasionally a legendary band from back in the day will get a chance to perform in an intimate setting, and today British hard rockers Thunder took up the chance in support of their latest album 'Rip It Up'!

Thunder were sadly one man down, with Luke Morley suffering from the flu (or perhaps an implied hangover as his bandmates joked) but the rest of the band performed a stripped down acoustic set. Opening with new song 'The Enemy Inside', the HMV shopfloor was filled with twanging acoustic guitars, a punchy bass sound and frontman Danny Bowes' soaring bluesy wails, backed up with lovely vocal harmonies. Just two songs in, Thunder surprised the crowd with a rendition of their classic hit single 'Back Street Symphony', which had the fans singing and clapping along. The band added in funny stop/start sections after each chorus, teasing the crowd into roaring laughter. Thunder continued to explore their back catalogue, with acoustic renditions of 'The Rain' (from 'Wonder Days') and another old fan favourite 'River of Pain' which was perhaps the best and most heartfelt offering this evening. They left us with the upbeat title track of their new album, 'Rip It Up'.

Die hard Thunder fans must have been in awe this evening, being able to see an iconic band perform a rare acoustic set in such an intimate setting. Fans were also able to meet the band afterwards and get their albums signed. Thunder belted through a classy set of classics and new songs, strumming away at their acoustic guitars. In particularly Danny Bowes' vocals were in fine form, singing loud and sustaining some incredible notes. But what struck most about Thunder was how funny they were! They had the crowd in stitches with their tongue in cheek humour and really connected with the fans with their silly inbetween song banter. They came across as such genuine and lovely people, delivering one of the most memorable live shows that HMV Manchester has ever witnessed. 

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February 16th 2017 @ HMV Manchester. 

Photography by Rich Smith of Digital Bath.

LIVE REVIEW: OATHBREAKER + SVALBARD & PIJN - MANCHESTER

Oathbreaker's latest album 'Rheia' landed itself in the #1 spot on my best albums of 2016 list (which you can read here) so it's safe to say I was very excited about seeing their sold out show in one of Manchester's very finest gig venues, The Star & Garter!

PIJN

Pijn (I previously thought it was pronounced like "pigeon", but apparently it is actually pronounced "pine"... Hope I've got that right) are one of the latest signings to an already stellar Holy Roar Records roster. The new band have been building up a lot of momentum over the past six months and since I last saw them perform as a trio with Pelican, their live show has added two extra members, playing violin and lap guitar/electronics respectfully. Considering over ten people performed on their debut EP 'Floodlit' (which was released on this very day), perhaps the Pijn live experience could end up expanding even more in the future?!

Their show tonight was belting, with pounding and rumbling drums that gave the lengthier compositions fantastic energy and transitions. The guitars were suitably sludgy and swampy tonight, with an array of dark and textured chords that were heavy and dreamy at the same time. Pijn performed some new material that felt darker, slower and at times really menacing, with elements of hardcore and sparingly used screaming vocals seemingly left over from their previous incarnation Old Skin. It was EP opener 'Dumbstruck & Floodlit' that left the biggest impression on me, journeying from major key Post Rock and chugging riffs in the vein of Pelican, and gradually transitioning into something more akin to Neurosis at their most raging. The addition of the violins and the lap steel guitar only enhanced the impact of their songs tonight, with massive crescendos that nearly reached Godspeed levels of epic! Pijn are a band that are growing and moving forward and I feel like the best is yet to come! 8/10.

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SVALBARD

"WE'RE FUCKING SVALBARD FROM BRISTOL!!!" Guitarist and vocalist Serena Cherry shouted before ripping apart the Manchester crowd with their ferocious and emotionally charged blackened Hardcore. The Bristolians play hard and fast, suitably taking the epic shoegazey tremolo guitars recently favoured by headliners Oathbreaker and combining them with an insane display of pounding thrashy drums and blastbeats, giving the quartet a pinch of crusty Punk attitude. 

Svalbard came at the crowd fiercely, with their breakneck speed and dual screaming vocal trade offs reminiscent of Circle Takes the Square, but their songs also evoke some achingly beautiful moments too, whether it is in the epic Post Rock inspired melodies of opener 'Perspective', or the sheer earnest honesty of their lyrics and vocal delivery. Svalbard are a band whose music cuts through your soul. They not only have the ability to pack a mighty punch with their blistering force, but their melancholic chord progressions and the sheer impact of their collective sound is enough to leave a lone tear streaking down your face. 9/10.

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OATHBREAKER

Unfortunately all of Oathbreaker had come down with a nasty case of flu whilst touring the UK, but you would never have even guessed it based on tonight's performance. A sold out crowd waited silently and awestruck as frontwoman Caro Tanghe snuck onto the stage, draped in long black robes, her face obscured by her hood and long hair. She began singing all on her own as the opening siren of '10:56/Second Son of R.' began their set. Atmospheric clean guitars soon sprang to life building up to one of the most impressive openings to any show I've seen. The band erupted into glorious thundering tremolo riffs, insane blasts and vicious, primal screams that open their stunning album 'Rheia'. The sold out crowd were instantly drawn into a hypnotic headbanging frenzy, and chills went down my spine just witnessing such magnificence.

Oathbreaker mainly performed songs from their latest album, and rightly so. Their sound has really evolved and transitioned from their Sludgy Hardcore upbringing, and it was amazing to hear their mixture of intense Black Metal and dreamy, shoegazy, atmospheric guitar parts in full force. Even through illness, the band gave it 110%, pouring so much emotion, energy and sheer intensity into their performance, as if the world would end tomorrow. As Oathbreaker have gone on, they have just got better and better at their craft, perfecting and tightening... In particular Caro Tanghe has never sounded as good as she does right now. Her screams tore the Star & Garter apart as if a malevolent force was haunting the old building, and her clean vocals rang out like an alluring siren.

After a selection of some of 'Rheia''s heaviest and most powerful songs, including 'Needles in My Skin', 'Being Able to Feel Nothing', 'Where I Live/Where I Leave' and 'Immortals', the quintet left us with a classic from their first album, 'Glimpse of the Unseen'. When THAT riff kicked in, the crowd just lost their shit, erupting into manic headbanging and circle pitting. This blackened Doom epic recalled Darkthrone's 'In the Shadow of the Horns', leaving us with a monument as dark and gritty as the Star & Garter itself. 9/10. 

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January 27th 2017 @ The Star & Garter, Manchester.

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the very dark conditions in the Star & Garter, the photographs used have been taken by me at different shows at Gullivers, Manchester and Brudnell Social Club, Leeds, taken on the 26th and 29th of January respectively.

DOUBLE LIVE REVIEW: MESHUGGAH + THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

In a rare alignment of the planets, Manchester was treated to a back to back visit from the two masters and pioneers of Tech/Math Metal as we know it. On the 19th of January 2017, Meshuggah performed at the 02 Ritz, with The Dillinger Escape Plan performing the day after at Academy 2 on what is likely to be their last ever show here. It was fantastic to see many of the same faces attending both shows in this irresistible double bill.

THE HAUNTED

(02 Ritz)

Opening for Meshuggah were fellow Swedish legends The Haunted, a band with just as much collective experience if you take into account them being an offshoot of Melodic Death Metal pioneers At the Gates. The Haunted frontman Marco Aro even joked that they aren't so bad for a bunch of old men! On paper, The Haunted did everything right tonight: They showed a true passion for their craft on stage, with plenty of high energy, which got the circle pit swirling. However their setlist tonight felt far too much like Thrash by numbers... They played plenty of tracks from their "classic" 2000 album 'The Haunted Made Me Do It', including fan favourites 'Bury Your Dead', 'Hollow Ground' and 'Trespass'... Songs I used to happily bang my head to as a teenager!

Perhaps it was because of the anticipation of Meshuggah delivering supreme brain twitching tech mastery, but The Haunted felt more like a leave your brain at the door act tonight. The endless barrage of chugging riffs, and melodic grooves soon became monotonous, and rather than feeling a hit of nostalgia, their riffs just sounded dated and old hat. 6/10.

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PRIMITIVE WEAPONS

(Academy 2)

Kicking off the night at Academy 2 was New York Post Hardcore band Primitive Weapons, signed to Dillinger's own Party Smasher Inc. label. Primitive Weapons had a strong energy and presence on stage tonight, with their lead vocalist lamenting on the woes of having Trump as president. Their sound clearly had a Dillinger influence, but was much more relaxed and less jagged. Their sound also mixed in some Stoner Metal influenced tones, at times recalling the high energy stomp of Clutch on 'Ashes or Paradise'. Primitive Weapons didn't particularly come across as anything vitally original or new, but had enough solid riffs, screams and raw energy to provide an entertaining warm up slot, leaving with a stirring and noisy finale. 7/10.

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Ho99o9

(Academy 2)

Now here was a surprise and a half! Where do I even begin to describe Ho99o9 (pronounced "Horror" I assume)???! So this New Jersey trio consisted of a live drummer, a tattooed dreadlocked man wearing a dress and a balaclava (yes really!) triggering samples and electronics as well as doing vocals, and another tattooed dude on lead vocals. Ho99o9 were seriously unpredictable and hard to pin down. They could go from a slow, eerie, bass heavy Hip Hop track one moment, to lightning fast Bad Brains inspired Hardcore Punk the next! Their setup as well as their crazy attitude definitely showed a strong Death Grips influence, with the use of noisy samples, ominous synths and half-rapped half-shouting vocals. Their drummer also reminded me of Zach Hill, as he absolutely battered the kit with a mixture of slow Hip Hop influenced grooves, and ferocious blasting hardcore!

Ho99o9 very much delivered that insane, deranged live energy that Dillinger Escape Plan fans crave, but also felt incredibly fresh and surprising. They also managed to get a raging circle pit going, with their frontman often coming into the pit to cause chaos whilst hurling open boxes of cereal into the crowd (YES REALLY!) Ho99o9 will go far with their chaotic antics and I forsee that this band will soon be getting hyped up by more popular reviewing publications than myself! ;D 8/10.

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MESHUGGAH

(02 Ritz)

The Ritz was plunged into darkness as an ominous piercing rumble of noise gradually escalated. Five silhouetted figures took the stage with their many stringed guitars, as mad applause threatened to drown out the electronic noise. From the moment Meshuggah launched into 'Clockworks' the crowd ripped into a headbanging fury and I had chills down my spine. There are certainly other fine Tech Metal (or Djent) bands doing the rounds, but when Meshuggah are before your eyes, they leave all of their peers in the dust!

Meshuggah could be accused of being a little static on stage, but compared to the insane antics of The Dillinger Escape Plan, they bring an entirely different type of intensity. Whilst the members largely stay still during their performance, it's the sheer precision of their playing that manages to mesmerise the crowd. Every single note is not only pitch perfect in delivery but utterly mindblowing. People in the crowd struggle to headbang in time to their constantly shifting odd time signature grooves, but their music leaves more of a hypnotic, trance-like feel on the fans. Some of their eerie, disonant quiet breakdowns like in 'Lethargica' summoned awkwardly placed walls of death amongst the more blood hungry in the crowd, but this is a band that left me standing in awe (and perhaps a little bit of drool).

Meshuggah's setlist tonight favoured their last three studio albums, aside from jaw dropping renditions of 'Stengah', 'Perpetual Black Second' and their Thrashy finale of 'Future Breed Machine'. As someone who has been listening to Meshuggah for over ten years now, I was slightly disappointed not to hear as many of their golden era tunes (their more experimental works from 'Chaosphere' to 'Catch Thirty Three' being their peak period for me), but I still walked away with my mind blown and goosebumps. Meshuggah are not only the masters of their own craft, but pioneers of an entire Metal subgenre, and to witness them work their magic in the flesh was an unforgettable experience! One of the tightest live bands I will ever see! 9/10.

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THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN

(Academy 2)

Shortly before the release of their latest album 'Dissociation', The Dillinger Escape Plan announced that they would be disbanding, but thankfully not before rolling out one last world tour. Naturally the tickets for this show sold out very fast after the news broke, and rightly so as Dillinger are built on a reputation of being one of the most exciting live acts to ever grace a stage (as well as gracing the crowd as well!) This would be my fourth time in a row seeing the Matchcore pioneers play Manchester and a show I had been highly anticipating.

From the second Dillinger hit the stage, the crowd erupted into a whirpool of chaos. As the madness of new single 'Limerent Death' ensued, out of nowhere I found myself being flung about and smashing into strangers, as the harsh strobe lighting made it difficult to even tell which way the stage was! By the time they launched into one of their ultimate tunes 'Panasonic Youth', crowd surfers were already flying over my head. This is the sheer beauty of a Dillinger show because nothing can stop that huge ball of energy from igniting. The band themselves rush all over the stage, climb over amps and walls and dive into the pit, somehow still managing to play those mind-boggling staccato riffs and jagged rhythms. A complete stranger grabbed me and kissed me on the forehead, donning the biggest smile I've ever seen, because that is the sheer rush of feelings and energy that a Dillinger show manages to evoke. Even during the most raging circle pits, everybody is connected and looking out for each other.

Dillinger raged through what was basically a "best of" setlist, playing material from all the albums (sadly I've never got to hear 'Unretrofied' or much of 'Irony Is a Dead Scene' live). A huge highlight for the older fans was an absolutely brutal rendition of 'Sugar Coated Sour'. It wasn't just the insanely brutal songs that slayed tonight though, as some of their more accessible songs with clean vocals, such as 'Black Bubblegum' and 'Milk Lizard' were equally as magical. Fans in the crowd had their arms reaching for the sky singing along at the top of their lungs. It reminded me just how eclectic Dillinger's music is, not just aimed at ultimate carnage, but they had the ability to write catchy hits too!

Dillinger didn't bring it quite as hard as on previous occasions I've seen them, but they really are suited to playing smaller venues where they can truly cause havoc. But the setlist was fantastic, and they still stand as one of the greatest live acts you will ever witness, even 20 years on. Their thirst for chaos has never relinquished and attending a Dillinger show is a life affirming experience. 9/10.

In a sad end to Dillinger's final Manchester show, the encore had to be halted during a pivotal moment of 'Sunshine the Werewolf' as a fan reportedly fell ill to some kind of seizure or fit. The music was cut off instantly and all the lights came on, as Greg Puciato let the crowd know what was going on. The response from the band, the crowd and the Academy staff was exemplary. People in the pit cleared a space and there was a rapturous round of applause as the medical staff arrived. Eager fans waited silently for at least fifteen minutes in the hopes that Dillinger would be able to finish the show (probably playing their anthem '43% Burnt'), but unfortunately because the curfew had been exceeded, the rest of the show had to be abandoned. During these tense moments I heard nobody moan and barely anyone wanted to leave. Everybody in that room knew that nothing was more important than making sure the well being of the fallen fan was taken care of, and reports suggest that he was conscious by the time he made it to the ambulance. The band came out and apologised for not being able to finish the show, saying that they love the fans and it means the world to them. The night ended with a thunderous applause in what was a truly emotional send off...

...BUT WHO WAS THE BETTER BAND I HEAR YOU ASK!? Well there really wasn't a lot in this one as both headliners are pioneers of their craft, yet also quite different in their approach too. I enjoyed the overall Dillinger show more if you count in the support acts, but Meshuggah for me just had that slight extra touch of magic that left me in awe and I genuinely had chills for much of the show. Dillinger was also a hell of an experience, but I can honestly say it's not the best I have seen them (their Club Academy shows in 2010 and 2013 stuck in my heart even more than this one). I actually wasn't quite as hyped for Meshuggah beforehand, but they delivered something mindblowing, but it's splitting hairs really. Seeing two of my favourite bands back to back will go down as one of my finest moments as a gig addict! And whilst many fine Mathcore bands have emerged taking Dillinger's influence, the fact that they are going away is going to be hard to take!

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Meshuggah - January 19th 2017 @ 02 Ritz, Manchester.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - January 20th 2017 @ Manchester Academy 2.
Photography by F & M.

TOP 25 LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2016

Let's get the obvious out of the way. I can only count bands I have seen live in the flesh. Since I am based in Manchester this will mostly be the area covered. I've easily seen over 100 bands this year so here are the performances that knocked me sideways in 2016!

HOUSEWIVES - Gorilla, Manchester

25. DUKATALON
Rebellion, Manchester

The Noiz Alldayer ended up overrunning by about 2 hours, and this band that came all the way from Tel Aviv, Israel had waited patiently to play, finally coming on at 2am and devouring what was left of the crowd with their insanely high energy Sludgy Hardcore. They played with a real menace and their drummer was pumping up the crowd between each song, commanding them to get moving. The show ended in a fantastic stage invasion that saw nearly the whole crowd take to the stage in a moment of sheer bliss.
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24. RICK ASTLEY
HMV Manchester

I'm not Rick-rolling you at all here. I had practically no expectations when I arrived at this show, but Rick Astley really blew the crowd away, not necessarily with his songs (although a finale of 'Never Gonna Give You Up' was obviously incredible) but through his sheer passion and excitement. The man had a really good funk band behind him and delivered an incredible vocal performance. But it was his stage charisma, his fantastic sense of humour and the fact that he looked like he was having the time of his life on that tiny stage that really made this performance special. I'll never say a bad word about this man.
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23. JOHN CARPENTER
Victoria Warehouse, Salford

There was a lot of controversy about the arrangement and venue of this show, which sadly does taint the gig a little. I'm going to try and brush this aside and focus on the actual performance, which I thought was great since I managed to get there early and actually get a good spot in the room. It was incredible to see John Carpenter, the Horror maestro in the flesh with his excellent band that play on his 'Lost Themes' records. Not only did he play some of the best tunes of the two solo records, but of course many of his greatest film themes. Hearing the likes of 'Halloween' and 'The Thing' in the flesh was awe inspiring. Carpenter had a crazy charisma on stage and one of the best highlights was when the whole band put on sunglasses during the performance of 'They Live'. There were also scenes from each film playing on a big screen behind him, so that atmosphere was just right, and I had chills for almost the whole performance!
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22. ACxDC
Rebellion, Manchester

The news that US Grind/Powerviolence legends ACxDC are calling it a day became twice as sad after witnessing just how astonishing this band are live. They must have blitzed through about 50 tiny tracks, absolutely seamlessly with full on rage, venom, sweat and agony. There was no time to catch your breath as the band just raged and battered through blistering, lightning fast song after song. A blur of utter chaos and madness that was as beautiful as it was terrifying!
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21. SPACE WITCH
Rebellion, Manchester

This band don't come around my way often enough, but whenever they do it is an unmissable spectacle. As you probably know I have a bit of a fetish for Extreme Metal bands that implement electronics into their sound, and Space Witch are at the forefront of this in the British Metal scene. Psychedelic tinged droning Sludge riffs bludgeoned the Manchester crowd over their heads, as piercing electronics added deep, spacey textures to the mix and taking their sound to the next level of the spectral ether. Mindblowing from start to finish, seriously one of the most exciting bands in the UK right now!
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20. DESTRUCTION UNIT
Islington Mill, Salford

Without a doubt the loudest performance I heard this year, even with ear plugs in, this was painful and left my ears ringing. With a drummer, a bassist and about four guitarists crammed into the tiny Islington Mill stage, their sound was bigger than the entire venue. The aptly named Destruction Unit powered through pounding Garage Noise Rock with so much sweat and menace. The massive wall of tremolo guitars was intense and agonising... And EAR DESTROYING!
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19. MONO
Gorilla, Manchester

The majesty of seeing Alcest would have been more than enough to cover the ticket price, but we still had an epic MONO performance to enjoy. Equally as stirring as Alcest before them, their instrumental rock often started soft and melodic and built into loud, thunderous climaxes that were intense and overwhelming to the senses. True magic from the heart of Japan!
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18. ALCEST
Gorilla, Manchester

It's not often that you need to bring tissues to a Metal show but the double impact of Alcest and MONO would certainly reach deep into the souls of Metalheads. Alcest played a wondrous, dreamy set of buzzing shoegazy guitars, sweeping melodies and harmonious vocals, with a few shrieking Black Metal parts for good measure. Alcest really hit the sweet spot with a momentous performance.
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17. CONJURER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

The crowning kings of another incredible Riff Fest lineup, a free annual Metal festival in the heart of Bolton. Conjurer are a seriously wild bunch and a stage can barely contain the energy and immense heaviness of this band. As their set goes on these lads get angrier and more explosive to the point where the band and the audience can barely take it any more and the wheels fall off!
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16. HOUSEWIVES
Gorilla, Manchester

This was my first time seeing and even hearing this mysterious English Drone/Noise Rock band. They played in near darkness with strobe lights blaring as they played what seemed like one giant 40 minute composition of super atonal rock that almost felt like an incredibly minimalist and deconstructed version of Joy Division, complete with noisy saxophone and deranged screams. It was such a regimented and tense performance. This band had an entire crowd hanging on every note and even when they just jammed one note for 5 straight minutes it felt like the most intense thing that ever existed!
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15. UNDER
The Boulevard, Wigan

Under are a menacing and creepy Doom Metal/Drone Rock kind of hybrid band that have built an exceptional reputation over the year for their jaw dropping live performances. I've probably seen them about 10 times this year alone and they just get better and better. Under constantly change up their setlists, hinting at a well of new and unreleased material, so every performance of theirs feels fresh, exciting and unpredictable. This was the last time I saw them in 2016 and I am incredibly excited to just be a part of their wacky journey, just as a member of the crowd!
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JOHN CARPENTER - Victoria Warehouse, Salford

14. CAINA
Fuel Cafe, Manchester

Hands down one of the most extreme things I have ever witnessed. In what sadly looks like one of Caina's very last shows, the duo performed incredibly loud with dense layers of noise pedals and cold synths grinding away as the two screamed at the top of their lungs. Vocalist Laurence Taylor was terrifying, topless with a balaclava and cuts on his body. He got right up into the faces of the crowd, screaming nihilistic words and wrapping the microphone cable around his neck like a noose. This is what happens when a band take the performance aspect all the way up to 11!
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13. THE RIVER VERSUS
Rebellion, Manchester

Few things put as big a smile on my face as when I am watching The River Versus. They tantalise the Prog Rocker inside me with their virtuoso fusion of Neo-Classical verging on Post Hardcore. TRV are still a band that I am championing and sadly they don't quite play as often as I'd like or quite get the acclaim that they so sorely deserve. This band have the ability to leave newcomers completely speechless and the atmosphere at one of their shows is full of sheer joy and awe. Just go listen to them and never miss them live!
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12. SVALBARD
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

I was so excited to see Svalbard perform once again and they certainly didn't disappoint. In fact they just get better. It feels like the band are continuing to perfect their craft, delivering emotively resonant Blackened Hardcore with so much passion, energy and raw feeling. Playing in front of a packed out Damnation stage may well have been their biggest crowd and most defining show yet.
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11. FULL OF HELL
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

This US band absolutely knocked me sideways. Bouts of lightning fast, brutal Grindcore suddenly evaporated into 0bpm electronic drones that were deafening and very intense, bringing a huge tension. The way Full Of Hell combine the slowest and fastest of Metal genres is really something special, and the way they switch between the two seamlessly is not only incredibly tight, but completely fucks with the audiences head. Absolutely astonishing.
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10. MAX RICHTER
RNCM, Manchester

The master of modern Ambient Classical performed his 'Blue Notebooks' and 'from SLEEP' albums in full with an ensemble and vocalist. Truly one of the richest and most beautiful performances I saw this year, with every note and instrument travelling through my body. It felt like a healing process and was incredibly moving.
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9. DEATH GRIPS
Manchester Academy

Perhaps the most anticipated show of the year, that sold out in mere seconds. Death Grips slammed through all of their best discography highlights, with MC Ride's maniacal grunts, Zach Hill's pounding drums and Flatlander's noisy synths sounding supreme, with so much energy and violence. This will remain one of the most talked about shows of the year.
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8. CULT OF LUNA & JULIE CHRISTMAS
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

To think that these musicians said they didn't get time to even rehearse properly is absolutely staggering! I think many who attended Damnation Festival in Leeds this year will agree that this performance was the crowning achievement of an already magnificent festival that seems to get better ever year. With about 7 people on stage, Cult of Luna absolutely pummeled the Damnation main stage with crushing, dense and emotionally draining riffs and textures, Julie Christmas was a bundle of energy, dancing, moshing and belting out powerful vocals. An absolute marvel from start to finish that we may never see performed again.
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7. AUTECHRE
Old Granada Studios, Manchester

The first time I saw Autechre live I didn't enjoy it so much, but I think it was let down by a poor sound and venue choice. No such problem this time as they performed in pitch darkness in a massive room where you could hear every blip, beep and rumble perfectly. They played a continuous hour long piece of music that was rather slow and doomy, with lots of discordance and alien textures. The lack of light allowed the music to really enter my body and take over my thoughts. Things got metaphysical and even though this band have no lyrics and use total discordant sounds, there was much emotion and expression.
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6. STEVEN WILSON
02 Apollo, Manchester

The master of Prog treated us to a 3 hour performance. In the first half he played the entirety of his fantastic 'Hand Cannot Erase' album, synced up to a film that ran on a big screen above the band with amazing visuals, helping to tell the story behind the lyrics. His band was incredible, including Marco Minnemann on drums and Dave Kilminster on guitar. The second half showcased songs from his latest release '4 1/2' and songs from his previous albums including a tear-jerking rendition of 'The Raven That Refused to Sing'. He even threw in some stunning Porcupine Tree songs, including 'The Sound of Muzak' and 'Lazarus' which he dedicated to David Bowie who had only just passed.
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5. SHOBALEADER ONE
Gorilla, Manchester

This quartet is a side project of Tom 'Squarepusher' Jenkinson, where he focuses solely on his virtuoso bass playing. This is one of the tightest bands I have seen perform all year. The music they played really reminded me of 70s Blacksploitation Funk. There were some seriously infectious grooves going on here, but with techy and jazzy parts thrown in also. A few renditions of Squarepusher classics were also performed. The band all dressed in black cloaks with masks on that had neon lights on them. How on earth they managed to perform to such a level was wearing them is anyone's guess!
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4. YOB
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

A truly mindblowing performance from the US Doom trio. Guitarist and vocalist Mike Sheidt is mesmerising on stage. His guitar playing looks effortless, whether he is churning out massive slabs of Doom or clean, emotive arpeggios, and he pours so much passion into his vocals. The performance of 20 minute "ballad" 'Marrow' was something really special, completely captivating an entire room into stunned silence.
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3. EMPLOYED TO SERVE
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

Truly one of the most angry, visceral and energized performances I've seen all year. Mathcore maniacs Employed to Serve showed us how to fucking BRING IT!!! Like this was a "COME AT ME BRO" meme in it's most literal and musical entity. The stage was like a warzone and there was some seriously crazy pitting, crowd surfing and stage diving as they tore into the Damnation crowd with a relentless barrage of aggressive screaming and jagged staccato riffs, that ended in the destruction of a bass guitar letting out it's final battle cry (and I was lucky enough to catch a piece of it thrown into the crowd)! ISS BYOTIFUL!!!
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2. SLABDRAGGER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

In this very special one off performance, Slabdragger performed the entirety of their new album 'Rise of the Dawncrusher', and it was a FREE entry show! Damn! The packed out crowd were truly knocked sideways by the loud, crushing and technically mind blowing riffs. Constant twists and turns looked seamless in these 10+ minute epics. A true testament of great musicianship, high energy and sheer headbanging delight!
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1. KAMASI WASHINGTON
Manchester Academy

Damn, this was more than a show, it was an experience, a journey, a transformation! Kamasi Washington and his insanely talented Jazz band are more than a band, they're a family unit. With most of the players having grown up together as kids and learning their instruments from a young age, and it really shows. This band is beyond tight, and have a spiritual chemistry together on stage. The show was full of raw talent, insane musicianship, fantastic storytelling between the songs, and a lot of emotion too. 'Henrietta Our Hero' left people in the audience in tears. This was not only the best live music experience I had this year, but one of the best shows I have ever witnessed!
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KAMASI WASHINGTON - Manchester Academy