Phoning it in

Dispatches from the back of the venue

RIYL: Cocteau Twins

  • Milan.W and Tristanne

    Milan.W and Tristanne

    I first became aware of Milan W. (aka Milan Warmoeskerken) when the Flemish polymath was awarded 2024 album of the year by Manchester’s enigmatic Boomkat – an online record store that can be relied upon to sift out record releases that no algorithm on earth would put your way. They praised ‘Leave Another Day’ to the heavens and rightly so and I’m intrigued by the chance to hear this curious, immaculately crafted and otherworldly music performed in a basement.

    Support comes from fellow Belgian, Tristanne who is quietly poised behind a keyboard – occasionally switching between flute and adding her own vocals. Like the headliner she’s worked in multiple genres too – including some quite strident, jazzy pop but tonight -performing solo – the focus is on drifting, dreamy ambience with lots of cinematic and orchesral colours which sets the mood just right.

    There’s a respectable sized crowd by time Milan takes to the stage joined by a keyboard player and a seated, acoustic guitarist. The performance is entirely drawn from the ‘Leave Another Day’ record and what is remarkable is how this minimal setup can completely convey the hazy mood of that record. It’s a studious, focused performance – no great theatrics or stage patter – just excellent musicians playing with elegance and care. The interplay between the two guitarists is where the magic happens – weaving lush harmonics between them and filling the grotty Soup cellar with sonic cathedrals of sound particularly as the acoustic player flips between pkaying through an echo machine and a bit of frippertronics with a e-bow. It’s intricate and delicious. Musically I’m reminded of Les Disques Du Crepuscuile label of the early 80s particularly the likes of Antena, Tuxedomoon and Manchester’s own Durutti Column – and indeed a wondeful eveing provided by our Belgian Friends.

    It does make me wonder what Milan W will move on to next, whether he’ll make more records in this mode or whether this was something of a one-off. If the latter, for all it’s rather low key atmosphere this was something to treasure.

  • deary

    deary

    This is the (all lower case) deary’s first gig in Manchester and there’s a full basement and a definite sense of anticipation, I’ve certainly been looking forward to this one. It’s hard to talk about this band without mentioning their influences which, as part of the Sonic Cathedral roster, they wear loud and proud. Yes they do sound a lot like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine but really, by 2024 those bands have become as influential as Joy Division, The Cure, Can, Kraftwerk, The Velvet Underground, Love and The Doors were on previous generations of shy Indie kids. The fact is, a lot of young bands have embraced the pejorative ‘shoegazing’ tag and are running with it and making it their own – and unlike the 1st wave of shoegazers there are no NME journalists demanding they stop and be more like Guns N’ Roses (this actually happened).

    Let’s just accept that the NME journalists and Ladrock cheerleaders lost – Shoegaze/Dreampop is firmly established as a genre – but a template and jumping off point rather than a set of rules (aside : I’m on a Canterbury Scene Facebook group which eternally ties itself in knots debating what is, and what isn’t ‘Canterbury’ like some creaky old arts committee deciding what can be allowed into the catalogue raisonné – it’s both tragic and hilarious – I suspect the same goes on with Shoegaze/Dreampop). In which case, it’s no good just having some FX pedals, nice guitars and ethereal vocals – it becomes about the songs and fortunately deary have songs to burn and melodies to melt your heart.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-RgOyTrYlE

    I’ve loved their two EPs so far their self titled debut and the latest ‘Aurelia’ are magnificent and we get highlights from both tonight. They also have presence and a touch of magic about them and as they start their set with the aptly named ‘Heaven’ and get into their stride there’s definite intensity to them which crackles through the room. Brilliantly, the audience is rapt and it’s one of those nights where there’s nobody nattering and everyone seems to be hanging on every minute – even when they’re tuning up for the next song as if we all know we’re witnessing something very special.

    deary’s secret weapon is rhythm and the core of the group, Dottie & Ben are joined by an excellent drummer and bass player who bring that to the fore even more than on their records and it’s a joy to watch them at work – it reminds me of when My Bloody Valentine veered toward dance music on ‘Soon’ and maybe Massive Attack’s songs with Elizabeth Fraser – deary have yet to make an LP but maybe that’s something they might expand on. A stunning gig that flew by in a heartbeat – can’t wait to see where they go next.