Many great musical experiences are characterised by their innovation. Experiencing something truly different for the first time can be awe-inspiring. Most people fall in love with a piece of art because of its presentation of something different. The reason you loved your first album so much was because it was something new to you, the same can be said about your first gig. Rock music flourished because it was entirely different to its predecessors, punk excelled because it brought about new ideas that people had yet to consider, soul opened listeners ears and hearts for the first time. Greatness is often wrought by difference, and tonight was a great example of that. This show was a celebration of music that represents something different.
Opened by Bristolian Folk geniuses Heg & The Wolf Chorus, those that had (half) filled Rescue Rooms were treated to a masterclass in story driven songwriting. The four piece played numerous sea shanties and folk anthems, to a great reception. Twirling vocal melodies were intertwined with staccato bursts of aggression. Heg & the Wolf chorus were incredibly impressive, and are most certainly worth experiencing as soon as possible.
After a short break, Moullettes took to the stage. The flaws of a double headline tour began to show here, although before I go any further I should point out that the band were fantastic. Due to an early curfew (I shall attempt to avoid ranting about gig venues closing early for club nights again here) and it being a double headline tour, Moulletes set time began at 7:30pm. Let’s face it, a lot of people skip the support acts at gigs. In this day and age, many people just aren’t around until later in the evening because of working late and getting ready. The venue filled significantly throughout Moullettes’ set, and it was easy to see disappointment from having missed sections of one of the headliners. Of course this is counterbalanced by having multiple headliners, but it can be unfair on bands and audiences to have gigs where their favourite bands start almost two hours earlier than usual.
Having said that Moullettes performed incredibly, building beautiful soundscapes upon layers and layers of intricate melodies. The band can be compared to a mechanical watch, with so many different things acting through their own complexities, working together to create a perfect output. It is easy to imagine how this could struggle to translate poorly to the live setting if there were to be technical difficulties or bad decisions made in terms of mixing and balancing. Fortunately this performance was perfect. Credit to every sound technician involved in this show, the music developed into a live context in which the entire audience were consumed in a deep exploration of stories through the medium of music. Moullettes provided a mesmerising experience for everyone in attendance. The neon mic stands were cool too.
“This show was a celebration of music that represents something different”
Another problem with co-headline tours is the length of set that each band has. As was to be expected, this show consisted of a thirty minute set from the openers and two, hour long, headline sets. This can be disappointing for everyone, especially in the folk scene where longer sets have become a norm. Bands find themselves cut short, fans miss some of their favourite songs and can often feel like they have missed out on seeing a full set. Both Moullettes and Nizlopi worked hard to make up for this, putting on great shows and packing sets full of songs. Nonetheless it is easy to feel that every band on this bill deserved much longer in the spotlight.
Nizlopi are well known for their phenomenal live shows, consistently performing with great intimacy, this show was no exception. Sneaking into the unsuspecting crowd, the band opened with a brand new song. This was a peculiar choice given that the band plan to take a break after this tour for at least two years, but it was performed with a great deal of soul and went down very well. The band then moved onto the stage to play ‘Start Beginning’ and ‘I’m Alive Again’. The set was filled with thunderous sing-alongs and heartfelt emotional ballads. It would be great to list some of the songs that stood out here, but each and every song was truly sublime. ‘The JCB song’ had everyone in the building singing every word, but then so did almost every song Nizlopi played. The band closed with ‘England Uprise’ to an electrifying ovation. This was a very special night.
Liam Fleming
Image: KM’s Live Music shots via Flickr
Liam’s interview with Nizlopi can be found on IMPACT Music now.
