Peggy Sue from Brighton UK opened at Sound Control with a set taken almost exclusively from their 2011 second album, Acrobats. It was produced by John Parish, PJ Harvey's collaborator, and marks a radical departure from the Mumford and Sons supporting days of their 2010 début Fossils and Other Phantoms. They were technically most accomplished in Manchester, and created an intentionally bleak atmosphere, retaining harmonies from their folk days but losing some playfulness and empathy.
The audience listened to Peggy Sue intently, but there wasn't much sense of engagement: it was more a cerebral than visceral experience (although the drummer created quite a kick). Peggy Sue is in the midst of a transition, and I have to admire their courage, but it failed to fully engage me emotionally. This isn't to deny their talent, and I'll certainly be curious to hear their third album.
Wild Flag's self titled album was on my
end of year albums list, and that of many professional critics. After this performance, they will be a contender for 2012's top live acts: it was just as energetic as I'd hoped, with high leg kicks from the start. I've seen many electronic acts recently, but Wild Flag proved not only that guitar rock is not dead, but that it's hard to match the excitement it can generate in a small venue. The whole set was oozing exuberance and fun, and exemplified the extrovert quality that a self effacing Brit like me so admires in the American national character.
This super group was
formed in 2010 from ex members of Sleater-Kinney, The Minders and Helium, but they've collaborated previously and have rock and roll embodied in their spirits. Janet Weiss is a brilliant drummer, having played with Bright Eyes, whilst keyboard player Rebecca Cole added some 1960's chords in songs like Future Crimes. Most distinctive though is the interplay between the more restrained vocalist and guitar player Carrie Brownstein and the extrovert, captivating Mary Timony from Portland. They swapped melodic and rhythmic roles, and their songs always seem to be based around their guitar playing.
The band didn't feel the need to engage in much small talk with the audience, but the smiles on their faces were testament to their own enjoyment and desire to work hard to please us. It was in the second half of their set that they added a new dimension to their album. The imaginative, psychedelic single
Glass Tambourine was stretched into a jam session, whilst
Racehorse brought punk like levels of attack, mind blowing pedal effects, and manoeuvres bringing guitars from the ground to the ceiling. Mary seemed to enter a different zone during this song, becoming entirely focused in its world.
In
this recent interview, Janet Weiss acknowledges sexism in the music industry, and says:
People call as soccer moms sometimes. That’s why it’s important for our music to not be timid. We’re showing people that women can be strong, women can be aggressive, women can be many things all at once. There’s a complexity that we’re working towards.
Wild Flag aren't a band merely wanting to put on a display and prove how loud they can play: melody was always at the heart of their compositions. During the early part of the set, I was concerned by the recessed balance of the vocals, which may be attributed to my position at the front of the venue. Either my ears acclimatised, or the problem was addressed later on. The two covers played as encores were on at least as exalted a level as their own material. The final one was the Bobby Freeman / Ramones song
Do You Wanna Dance; a video of a performance at another show can be found
here.
Earlier on in the evening, Wild Flag played a couple of new songs: the happy news is that they're planning a follow up to the first album. This was a show whose memory will makes me smile for some time, and I overheard countless people on the way out saying 'that was amazing'. Usually, I'm concerned after such joy that my next gig will be an anticlimax, but fortunately I'm seeing The Black Keys next week so should be safe. I'm also really hoping that I will catch Wild Flag again at
Coachella even though it's unlikely to eclipse the memory of this night of intimate music making. I'll give
Janet Weiss the last few words about this:
I don’t love festivals. I love shows that are small and sweaty. I’m happy we have the chance and to hang out with friends in the desert but, I’m not going to be proud of it like an accomplishment like writing a good song.
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