Wolf Alice, Ritz Manchester, 26th March 2015 5/10

It's unfortunate that Wolf Alice followed one of the most memorable events I've experienced to date, the absolutely incendiary Sleater Kinney in a beautiful venue. Not that there was any lack of excitement amongst Wolf Alice's fans, even allowing for their extremely youthful age profile. I too was eagerly anticipating seeing the hotly tipped North London band, not because of the buzz around them, but due to my love of their second EP, Creature Songs. It's remarkable that they have made such an impact in the indie world that they are playing a venue of this size before the release of their first album. In fact, they even performed in London's O2 Arena in January supporting Alt-J, and have just returned from SXSW in Austin.

Last night started boldly, with the dark, brooding London noise band Crows, who compensated for a lack of musical nuance with bold stagecraft which extended to leaping into the crowd. By contrast, the main support act The Magic Gang was the epitome of blandness, bringing  energy levels crashing down to earth with uninspired song craft and a low key stage presence. Whilst Crows relate to the heavier rock side of Wolf Alice, The Magic Gang would have made been a better match for a band such as Peace.

Wolf Alice opened with their recent single Fluffy, and it immediately became obvious that this was the third band I've seen this week (alongside Warpaint and SK) with an awesome drummer. Yet, I'd waited three hours to hear Ellie Rowsell's much acclaimed voice, and it was quickly apparent that the vocals were too far back in the sound mix compared to the rhythm section. The balance improved only slightly in the middle of the venue after the intense moshing necessitated moving off the front rail at the end of the main set. I'm sure sound issues will be resolved as they gain touring experience, but I was sad Ellie's impressive vocal range was obscured. Wolf Alice's two EPs show real subtlety, contrast and dynamic range, which in a live setting requires more sensitive technical backup. Yet, the chemistry within the band was evident in their body language, and they were clearly enjoying themselves.

Musically, Wolf Alice has played down the grunge influence on their début album My Love is Cool, and the new songs in last night's 50 minute set centred on more reflective, quieter numbers. It was a pity though that Creature Songs was omitted. The key to their appeal is uplifting energy and emotional hooks, written to inspire festival crowds. Ellie was humble and well spoken between songs, and all four members of the group had no lack of instrumental technique. They had the audience in their command from the start, and despite being let down by the sound engineer, it's clear most of the crowd felt ecstatic. They came closest to fulfilling their potential in the more tender moments, and in the exuberant closing Moaning Lisa, where finally all came together. Despite Ellie's artistic potential being obscured on this occasion, I still eagerly await the album release.

Set List

• Fluffy
• She
• Your Love's Whore
• 90 Mile Beach
• The Wonderwhy
• Storms
• Soapy Water
• Bros
• Blush
• You're A Germ
• Giant Peach
• White Leather (encore)
• Moaning Lisa Smile (encore)

Sleater Kinney, Albert Hall Manchester 24th March 2015 9.5/10

I'd resigned myself to ever being able to experience Sleater Kinney live: they declared an indefinite hiatus in 2006 and played a farewell show in Portland that summer. In consolation, I caught a date in 2012 for the short lived side project Wild Flag. So when the legendary punk trio announced not simply a reunion, but a new album and tour date at one of my favourite venues in Manchester, I was ecstatic. Stereogum named SK the greatest living rock band earlier this year, and emerging from the riot grrrl movement, their ideological and political influence cannot be underestimated. Yet, inspiringly, last night pointed to the future rather than reflecting on past glories. Sleater Kinney's passion hasn't diminished: referring to equality, Carrie exclaimed: 'not enough has changed yet' and the set opener Price Tag from their 2015 album rails against consumerism, The choice of PINS as support act is also joyously forward thinking: from the first time I saw them, supporting Veronica Falls in 2012, it was evident they were the most promising recent band to emerge from Manchester. I couldn't have been happier to hear they'd secured a support slot for their heroes SK, and they're on the cusp of a significant breakthrough.

PINS' Twitter feed suggested they were as excited as me to be in the audience for Sleater Kinney, and their stagecraft appears to have been influenced by Carrie Brownstein's in particular, as they commanded one of the largest venues they've played to date. Their music though, has now taken on wider influences, with the temporary replacement of one band member and addition of another. Anyone unfamiliar with PINS was set for an awakening: with the imminent release of their second album they'll surely be headlining this venue in the near future. By comparison, Sleater Kinney are the finished, polished article, but their 100 minute set felt anything but routine. As Carrie said, 'If we're gonna do this, it's gotta be a total renewal. All or nothing.'  There was little time for between song chatter last night, just a torrent of incredibly taught, concentrated energy. To my surprise, despite the divergence in musical style, I was constantly reminded of my hero, St Vincent. For all its exuberance, Sleater Kinney has a similarly disciplined sense of self control, and a technical virtuosity to compares to Annie Clark's, with intricate guitar work and tight ensemble.

Much has been written about the interplay between the two leads, Carrie and Corin, and their close (briefly romantic) bond. They face each other to riff together, and the chemistry is evident. Yet, I was also struck by the divergence in their persona on stage: Corin the more reserved, whilst Carrie revels in her high kicks and wind-milling arms, constantly on the move. This reflects the development of an aspect of her personality which has also found expression in her acting career in Portlandia. As Carrie explained: 'When I started... I was pretty shy as a performer, I didn't really do that much in the band beyond play. As time went on, I was able to express myself, to get a sense of myself as larger than who I was.' Janet Weiss' contribution is equally pivotal: like Warpaint's Stella Mozgawa, she's a powerful, virtuoso instrumentalist with unrelenting energy. The entire evening was such a visceral experience, more immediate than Warpaint's more impressionistic tone, and devastating in its impact.

I was mesmerised by Corin's vocal prowess: her vocal style is astonishing, intentionally harsh to demand attention from the listener, but also incredibly accurate.  The set list included the majority of the tracks from the universally acclaimed No Cities To Love, whose brevity also gave opportunity for a wide ranging exploration of their back catalogue. I gained less sense of the venue's aesthetic beauty than usual, as my field of vision was filled by the stage, but the lighting design was commensurate with the excellence of the production. The atmosphere was also fuelled by the enthusiasm of the audience, who were fully aware of the auspicious nature of the occasion and were whipped up into a frenzy of furious tempi. A highlight was the encore Modern Girl, a rare moment of melodic reflection when Janet downed her drum sticks to play the harmonica. I expect to remember the time I was able to experience SK from such close quarters for years to come. Perhaps surprisingly, when the music at first appears so uncompromising, the dominant emotion was one of collective joy, not anger: the happiness and sense of freedom on the faces of Carrie, Corin and Janet inspire much hope.

Setlist
Price Tag
Fangless
Oh!
Get Up
Surface Envy
Ironclad
What's Mine Is Yours
A New Wave (euphoric)
One Beat
No Cities to Love
Start Together
Light Rail Coyote
No Anthems
Words and Guitar
Bury Our Friends
One More Hour
Entertain
Jumpers

Encore
Gimme Love
I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
Let's Call It Love
Modern Girl
Dig Me Out

Warpaint, Albert Hall Manchester, 22nd March 2015 9/10

Warpaint's all about the creation of an impressionistic atmosphere, drawing you into an otherworldly state of mind. I'd experienced this feeling at festival four times previously, in 2011 for their The Fool tour and last summer in support of the Warpaint album. This gig shifted venues, and was then postponed for undisclosed family reasons, heightening the anticipation. Yet, even the palm trees of Coachella didn't quite prepare me for the intensity of the front rail of an intimate, immensely beautiful indoor space. The Garden, consisting of identical twins from Orange County, was an astonishing support act. In common with Warpaint, the mood was dark, but their energy was positively primeval, and the sound sparse, valuing rhythm over melody. Yet this garage punk, with drum and vintage bass guitar, was dominated by extraordinary stagecraft, as Wyatt and Fletcher Shears moved on and off the stage with a speed to match the furious tempi of their 'Vada Vada' songs. Equipment issues in the second half of their 45 minute set didn't detract from the visceral impact; it's apt that their latest single is called Surprise!.

Fellow Californians Warpaint also benefit from an compelling drummer in Stella Mozgawa, who adds subtlety to power. Her joyous facial expressions and happy glances exchanged with fellow band members proved inspiring. Warpaint's music has greater depth than The Garden's, with elements of dreamy psychedelia: I got completely lost in the set, as one song floated into the next; re-entry into the real world was jarring. Yet, there is angst in the music: it's not sugar coated escapism, or easy listening, which makes capturing the mesmerised audience an even greater achievement. This feat can be explained by the spirit of the dance, a funky feel created by the two rhythm players with Jenny Lee Lindberg on the joining Stella's drums. They even shifted the rhythm within songs, whilst inspiring the crowd to move the hands and bodies and sing along, quite a feat with such oblique tunes.

Childhood friends Theresa Wayman and Emily Kokal also reached out to the audience, crouching down low on the edge of the stage and swapping vocal and guitar roles. At times, all four members contributed to the vocal harmonies, which are another key element of their distinctive sound. Above all it was a truly collaborative effort. The interplay made it feel like a meeting of the minds of a band who've become completely relaxed in each other's company. The vast cloth backdrop,with moodily lit images of the band's faces, added to the ethereal other-worldliness in this former chapel. The set was such a coherent, all absorbing experience that it wasn't reliant on the impact of individual songs, though an early highlight was Love Is To Die from their 2014 album, when Theresa came to the edge of the stage. Judging by calls of 'I Love You' from the floor, it's fair to say that she inspired considerable affection from the audience.

The sprawling new song like No Way Out ended with the band jamming, as if improvising, in a thrilling conclusion as they listened to each other intently. So, amidst the grandeur there was also intimacy. Warpaint isn't releasing a new album this year, but they played another new single, the more hooky I'll Start Believing. They take risks: being concerned less with immediacy than a deeper, longer term engagement on a spiritual level. This paid off: the audience was completely involved, and despite engaging on a cerebral plane, Warpaint is very much an act which has to be experienced live. Given that the quality of their material seems to be on an upwards trajectory, I'm excited for the future. Yet, right now, in the afterglow of last night, it's hard to imagine another artistic experience so profoundly absorbing and transporting.

Setlist
01. Warpaint
02. Composure
03. Love Is To Die
04. Undertow
05. No Way Out
06. Intro
07. Keep It Healthy
08. Disco//Very
09. Elephants
10. Bees
11. Biggy

12. I’ll Start Believing
13. Burgundy
14. Krimson

The Unthanks, Ritz Manchester, 11th March 2015 8/10

I was curious how The Unthanks' glorious new album Mount The Air would translate to a live experience, given its delicate intricacy. Having read that they were touring as a ten piece ensemble, minimalism was not the first theme that came to mind. Yet, the scene was set over the PA by the iconic 1976 piece Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich. The repeated chords in Adrian McNally's piano accompaniment were reminiscent of minimalism at times, but more fundamental was the restraint in deploying the rich resources at their disposal. The support act though, was minimal only in the sense of eschewing instruments. The Young 'Uns' startling cover of Billy Bragg's Between The Wars immediately made it clear why this north eastern trio is attracting critical attention. The rest of last night's material, combining sea shanties, politically charged lyrics, and traditional melodies didn't quite reach that cover's level of musical inspiration, but their gentle humour created a warm rapport with the audience.

The Young 'Uns, singing a capella in perfect harmony, were an almost frenetic experience in comparison to The Unthanks. The pace of the main act was planned with precision, unfolding gradually from the subdued opening of Hawthorn to the full flowering of Mount The Air. This original title song from their new album reappeared before the final encore, like the reprisal of a theme in a classical symphony.Yet it was inspired by a Miles Davies song, and jazz freedom was apparent in the subtle trumpet playing of Victoria Rule, known for her work with Elbow. Adrian McNally stretched traditional songs into extended, exquisitely tasteful arrangements (with intuition, as apparently he can't read music). His British restraint gave space for extended structures: often the sisters would alternate their vocals between lengthy, sparse instrumental sections. The burst of light and grandeur when the full ensemble took the chorus then felt all the more rousing.

There was not only a wide dynamic range, but greater than expected variety of mood: despite the songs' prevailing air of melancholy, it felt far from depressing. Episodes of clog dancing by Rachel and Becky lightened the atmosphere, as did their warm dialogue with the audience, highlighting their connections with Manchester. Spontaneity operated within the pre-defined boundaries of taste however, as did audience participation in the form of the odd sing along (Michael Hughes of The Young 'Uns was the real master of choreography with his use of hand signals). Glitter ball aside, the not completely full ballroom venue didn't really enhance the atmosphere: a church would have been visually more apt. But, with such a subtle, note  perfect performance, the surroundings did little to detract from the occasion and the sound was expertly balanced. In a week when social media is discussing Mumford and Sons' popularist move towards Coldplay's rock territory, such depth and serenity in folk music feels vital.

Northumberland folk is rooted in utterly gorgeous melody, but to this seed, Adrian McNally has drawn upon an eclectic range of influences, to the extent that Radiohead is said to be an admirer. The recent single Flutter looks to trip hop, but a highlight for me was the mournful Magpie, employing a simple drone bass in the cause of tender beauty. From the first of their Diversions Series, a song each by Robert Wyatt and Anthony and the Johnsons was performed, but I found the closing Last more affecting. But the opening act signposted the evening's other predominant theme, alongside the power of restraint: outstanding vocal ability. It is no coincidence that the Unthank sisters organise singing weekends: their voices are nuanced, subtle instruments combining technical accuracy with the most tender emotions. I envy those who've experienced them acoustically in a small space, but the sophistication and taste of this larger scale presentation perhaps surprisingly bought to mind a magical evening in 2011 on PJ Harvey's Let England Shake tour. Both groups transcend genres with outstanding musicianship, gorgeously judged arrangements, and are theatrical in the most subtle, unshowy sense.

Setlist

• Hawthorn
• Mount The Air
• Madam
• Last Lullaby
• Felton Lonin
• Died For Love
• Flutter
• For Dad
• Magpie
• Out Of The Blue (Robert Wyatt)
• Spiralling (Anthony and the Johnsons)
• Lucky Gilchrist
• Starless (King Crimson)
• Caught In A Storm
• Mount The Air (Reprise)
• Last