Natalie Prass, Deaf Institute Manchester, 25th June 2015 6/10

My admiration for Natalie Prass' album meant that I eagerly anticipated seeing her for the first time, in my favourite small Manchester venue. Yet, I also felt some apprehension, as the record's appeal owes much to her association with Matthew E White, with whom she formed a band at school in Virginia. Unlike co-producer Trey Pollard, he's absent from the stage, but it was Matthew's Spacebomb Records project that provided the richly layered studio sound. In fact, the success of his own releases led to Natalie's début being being delayed for three years. The touring quartet is relatively stripped down at the side of the intricate arrangements on record, which involved over 30 musicians. I missed the strings and horns, but the band was one of the more successful elements of the act: their sound was tight, and they were clearly at ease performing together. The Music Hall was packed for this sold out show, and there was a palpable excitement in her air.

Natalie's stagecraft was surprisingly polished and confident for an act on tour for the first time this year, betraying her experience of touring in Jenny Lewis' band. Her persona was confident, the rapport with the audience warm, and she roamed freely and expressively around the stage with much enthusiasm, She even managed to be self depreciating about her outfit's similarity to pyjamas, which looked as if it might have drawn inspiration from the outfits she made for dogs whilst waiting for the record to be released. Yet, this levity is at odds with the heartbreak in the lyrics: Christy is about a love triangle, whilst in the stand-out Bird of Prey, she sings of her relationship: 'you leave me no choice but to run away'. Given the tone of the lyrics, I was therefore surprised not to be moved; alas, for once live music failed to transport me to another place to the exclusion of worldly anxiety.

There was no shortage of delicacy or dynamics, but I found Natalie's voice to be a barrier to a deeper appreciation of the meaning. Another, more esteemed blogger Tweeted that this show was all about voices, yet for me a lack of expression and limited tonal range obscured the depth of the lyrics, and felt as at odds with the richness of the accompaniment. I accept this may be a minority view: I've seen nothing but positive reviews for her live shows, and Pitchfork's Best New Music accolade for the album reflected the buzz around her appearance on the scene. Her vocals have been compared to Diana Ross' and others have appreciated their light delicacy. Perhaps it's also a reflection of taste: whilst I find the Americana influence in the studio band endearing, perhaps I lack an affinity with the 70's pop influences. Tellingly, I found her cover of Ryan Adams' Winding Wheel far more effective than that of Janet Jackson's Any Time, Any Place.

The band played for almost an hour and a half, eking out the limited album material, yet inexplicably skipping Violently. It's therefore not surprising that it was uneven in musical inspiration. Manchester of course lacked Ryan Adams and Jessie Ware, surprise guests whom Natalie had invited on stage the previous evening in London. Yet, at the end of the main set, there was finally a hint of the emotional engagement I'd been seeking, with a stirring rendition of My Baby Don't Understand Me, a hushed performance of Reprise and a focused delivery of Why Don't You Believe In Me: the audience, who'd been quiet throughout became completely hushed. For all her showmanship, Natalie is clearly sensitive, but perhaps she finds the emotional rawness hinted at in the lyrics too painful or personal to bring into the arena of public performance. With a confident demeanour, she appears to have the resilience to deal with adversity: perhaps I struggled to fully appreciate her talents because I identify with confessional artists who acknowledge their vulnerability more openly.

Set List

• Your Fool
• Never Over You
• It Is You
• Last Time
• Winding Wheel (Ryan Adams Cover)
• Christy
• Bird of Prey
• Any Time, Any Place (Janet Jackson cover)
• Everybody (solo)
• Walk On By (with Chanele McGuiness)
• Jass (new song)
• My Baby Don't Understand Me
• Reprise
• Why Don't You Believe in Me
• You Keep Me Hangin' On (The Supremes cover)

Postscript July 2016
I came away from this gig feeling deflated, and disappointed: my high expectations for the act behind one of my albums of the year were dashed. Yet, in reply to another blogger on Twitter, she admitted that this gig shouldn't have taken place on the day after a major date in London, as the band was 'downright exhausted'. She also alluded to sound issues, having complained mid way through the set of feedback. I hope you have greater luck than I did should you decide to see Natalie Prass; it's unfortunate my first encounter with the artist didn't give not the most auspicious impression.

Waxahatchee, Ruby Lounge Manchester, 12th June 2015 9/10

Waxahatchee is named after a creek near Katie Crutchfield's Alabama home. Yet, her music speaks more about time than place: specifically those periods of transition and uncertainty in life. Talking about the title of her third album, Ivy Trip, she explained: "it's just a term I made up for directionless-ness, specifically of the 20-something, 30-something, 40-something of today, lacking regard for the complacent life path of our parents and grandparents." Time is also relevant in terms of the influence of 90's lo-fi and punk on its sound, though the music probably appeals to me more because of the distant echoes of American folk and country, which do emanate from the place she grew up.

Perhaps above all, Waxahatchee speaks of authenticity of experience. She has the confessional in common with Torres, who deeply affected me at Primavera recently, as well as often dark subject matter. Yet it feels less like Sharon Van Etten's therapeutic channeling of emotion than a natural, unforced chronicling of Katie's world. Taking a pause from the festival season, I was reminded how disarmingly intense an experience a show in small, indoor club can be. Like Tobias Jesso Jr. on piano, her use of guitar is relatively simple; which only serves to put a stronger focus on the songwriting. Her direct way with words isn't found wanting in this spotlight: it takes a particular genius to make art feel so natural and inevitable.

It also goes far beyond a personal project, both in terms of speaking of the human condition universally, and in going beyond a solo act musically. Waxahatchee is a collaboration with her twin sister, Allison, an established musician in her own right, and she tours with two other guitarists. Yet, the most notable collaborator last night was the ferocious drummer Ashley Arnwine: I was sorry to have missed his own band Pinkwash who opened for her. The intimacy of their interplay on stage gave the illusion of eavesdropping on a private session between friends. Much has been made of Waxhatchee's move to a new label, bringing with it an increased complexity of sound on Ivy Trip, yet this feels peripheral. The core of the music remains catchy choruses, danceable rhythms on tracks like Lips & Limbs, and Katie's emotional voice.

Almost as if a dream, the hour long set passed all too quickly, the songs all too brief, often ending abruptly after 2 or 3 minutes; brief fragments in time which I've tried to recapture since by listening to the albums over and over again. Reinforcing the authenticity of the evening, Katie expressed sincere gratitude to the (enthusiastic) audience, but let the songs speak for themselves, instead of risking distraction with anecdotes. Air was one of the deeper, standout moments, but for me the emotional core came in the solo encores, when Katie returned to her roots, and demonstrated once again the power of simplicity. Ironically, given her youthful age, it's taken greater life experience for me to gain an appreciation of this act. On her last visit to Manchester in 2013, I was confused by the juxtaposition of vulnerable vocals and assertive instrumentals. Perhaps too, the passage of time has increased Katie's almost magical ability to project her feelings to the audience so affectingly.

Set List

• Under A Rock
• Misery / Dispute
• Waiting
• The Dirt
• Lively
• Poison
• Brother Bryan
• Less Than
• Lips & Limbs
• Blue
• Blue Pt II
• Grey Hair
• Air
• Coast To Coast
• La Loose
• Peace & Quiet
• Bonfire

Parklife, Manchester, 6th June 2015 8/10

I have mixed feelings about Parklife: it’s my local festival, and perhaps the most significant date in Manchester’s music calendar, attracting crowds of 80,000. Yet it’s been beset with organisational issues in the past. The state of the toilets this year reminded me it’s not always the most comfortable experience, though the selection of food, whilst still overpriced, seemed to have improved. Entry searches were noticeably more rigorous following last year’s murder, and thankfully it appears to have passed without incident in 2015. Chronic delays on entry were resolved too, only for the exit to be utterly chaotic and protracted, owing to a failure to separate cars and pedestrians. Most importantly, the sound was inconsistent, lacking presence further back on the main stage and surprisingly weak on the second (indoor stage), though it was fine on the Now Wave stage where I spent most of my day. The budget also failed to stretch to screens on anything but the main stage despite the size; in comparison to Primavera the facilities were sorely lacking, and it is for this reason I bought only a day ticket. Yet, its greatest strength is surely the sheer youthful enthusiasm of the crowd, which is invigorating, and the line-up this year was the strongest to date.

1) Ghostpoet 9/10

London based Obaro Ejimiwe is keen to emphasise that he's not a rapper, and as if to prove the point, electric guitar played a prominent role in his set, alongside a female vocalist and keyboard player. Showcasing his recent third album Shedding Skin, this was a confidence performance, with much dancing on stage. Obaro also came down onto the barrier to sing. For its imaginative song writing and sense of teamwork, the highlight of my day; Ghostpoet should not be missed live.

2) Jamie xx 8/10

I was a little disappointed that this was a DJ rather than live set, but the atmosphere was incredible, drawing greater enthusiasm from the vast crowd than anyone else I saw. The reaction made the audience at Primavera appear genteel, and there was a triumphant moment early on when someone scaled the tent's rigging and the crowd cheered. A recent article compared Jamie xx's position to Sam Smith's in soul music: dance connoisseurs consider him to be overly populist. Yet, the cheers at the end of the set when he played tribute to his outstanding new album In Colour will remain in my memory.

3) James Blake 8/10

I'd seen James Blake only a week earlier at Primavera, but from the front of a smaller, indoor stage he had greater impact. The bass was almost overwhelming, and even the rendition of Retrograde emphasised visceral impact over the tenderness evident on disc. Yet, he was warm in his comments about the reception he receives in Manchester, and he encapsulated the atmosphere of night, being far more to my taste than the main stage headliners Disclosure.

4) Nicholas Jaar 7.5/10

Another DJ set, Jaar felt almost like an alchemist, conjuring up atmospheric soundscapes in a cloud of dry ice. Backlit at all times, it was visually simple: Parklife lacks the budget of Coachella's Sahara tent with its spectacular light shows and enormous screens covering the ceiling. Yet, at a time when there's controversy about the dominance of EDM at festivals, this proved it can be emotionally affecting, not just simply powerful and showy.

5) Lapsley 7/10

I was incredibly taken with the young Liverpudlian in April in a small railway arch venue, and this set confirmed my love for her music. The set started tentatively, not aided by severe sound bleed from surrounding acts and the less them optimal PA system on the Big Top Stage. Yet, her delivery gained in confidence as the set progressed, and, unlike me, didn't seem to be distracted by the constant shouts of 'Holly' from the crowd during quiet passages in the music. There's perhaps too much subtlety in this act for it to be experienced optimally on a large stage at a boisterous festival, but I'm excited to see how Lapsley progresses towards her début album release.

6) Mac Demarco 6/10

The crowd loved the Canadians' antics which included humour, nonchalant smoking on stage, and crowd surfing at the end of the set. Yet, the jangle pop didn't really engage with me emotionally, and despite the seemingly universally positive reviews for their set, I found the presentation off-putting and juvenile.

Young Fathers, Sugarmill Stoke, 4th June 2015 9/10

A last minute decision to use my ticket for this gig despite feeling unwell was immediately vindicated by one of the most compelling support acts I've seen recently, Kojey Radical. He described himself as a poet from London, though he’s also a visual artist, and his way with the spoken word is incredibly persuasive. Soon after my return from a festival with 100,000 people, the intimacy of this event was heightened by Kojey’s warm rapport with the audience, and the personal nature of his lyrics. A love for Shakespeare is clear, as is that for his family: the song about the impact of the church compounding his mother's poverty, was strikingly honest. He ended with his recent song Bambu, with a creative use of electronic beats, and an accompanying guitarist. His lyrical delivery could be described as a blend of rap and poetry. Ironically, given his views on organised religion, his search for deep meaning and communication skills mean that he’d make a great preacher. Perhaps that actually is his mission, in a non-traditional context.

Young Fathers, so called because all three original members have their fathers' names, present a contrasting persona on stage. There was controversy after the surprise Mercury Prize win in 2014 for their album Dead, due to a lack of outward display of joy, and their uncompromising stance towards the right wing tabloid press at the event. They made few attempts to address the audience during the show in Stoke, aside from a brief encouragement to approach the stage and dance. The hour long set ended abruptly, as they simply walked off stage without returning for an encore. This detached air stems not from a lack of gratitude, but a desire to remain in character. The essence of this music is total absorption: it’s an overwhelmingly intense experience, designed to exclude all other thoughts than the present. The audience at The Sugarmill was smaller than I’d expected, or than Young Fathers warrant, but much of the crowd seemed to completely understand the need to lose yourself in this auditory barrage.

Young Fathers are keen not to be categorised as a hip hop act: they utilise eclectic influences including R&B, electro and Krautrock. Pitchfork cited TV on The Radio and The Streets as influences, describing them as a ‘grungy relative of Arcade Fire’. They certainly have some of the theatricality of the celebrated Canadian indie rockers: the stage was a blur of limbs, an overwhelming explosion of dancing and drumming. They created a sense of disorientation and chaos, constantly swapping places with each other, moving around stage with mics in their hands. Perhaps this acting is intended to depict the whirlwind of the modern city: certainly the deep bass added to the visceral nature of the set. There use of drone sounds is striking, and there’s a psychedelic element to their sound which transcends expectations of the genre.

For many, their single Shame must have been the highlight: this is also a great starting point for exploration. Yet Old Rock N Roll felt like the real culmination of a set packed with short songs, its ambiguous message making up their most recent album title White Men Are Black Man Too. I’d first seen Young Fathers supporting CHVRCHES in 2013: the shock of that encounter remains with me, overshadowing the main act. They're above all a collective, illustrated by the tribal chanting and the seamless way of which they exchange roles. Such complexity must surely have been rehearsed exhaustively, yet it always felt spontaneous, even dangerous. The harsh back and strobe lighting gave a sense of unease, as did the ear splitting volume: the intention is to be provocative, to lead the audience to question the established order. Young Fathers is surely one of the most outstanding contemporary live acts; regardless of your usual musical preferences, I’d urge you to take a risk and submit yourself to their alternative reality.

Kojey Radical

Primavera Sound Day 3, Barcelona, 30th May 9/10

Torres 10/10
Nashville's Mackenzie Scott was a late addition to Primavera, and therefore played solo without a band, so was at times impacted by sound bleed from a nearby stage (an issue this festival could address with more considered scheduling). Yet, her all too brief 45 minute set was the highlight of the entire festival for me. Her musicianship was devastating movingly, depicting raw emotion in an impassioned yet authentic manner.

Les Ambassadeurs 9.5/10
I'd planned to see Mourn after Torres, but after such an emotional pounding, I felt the need for some uplifting escapism. I was totally captivated by this long established African band, with strong funk and jazz influences, led by the albino singer Keita. This is the ensemble from which Amadou and Mariam emerged, and there was an overwhelming sense of joy, particularly from the two gospel singers at the front of the stage. The audience danced freely, and time seemed to stand still, except for the stage manager, whose very Western sense of the importance of time came under challenge.

Tuneyards 9.5/10
The climax of my Primavera turned out to be Tuneyards, for its manic creativity. Merrill Garbus recorded loops live, but her drummer Dani Markham was also phenomenal. Tuneyards is all about rhythm, and so was founded as a duo with Merril and bass player Nat Brenner (whose parents I happened to be stood next to on the barrier). Their albums give only a hint of the raw energy band, which the audience responded to with enthusiastic movement.

Strand of Oaks 9/10
Despite having the opening 6pm slot on the main stage, Strand of Oaks were completely committed, and I suspect surprised those who'd yet to experience this rock from Philadelphia. Timothy Showalter has an inspiring story of triumph over adversity, and it felt as if this uplifting set was the pinnacle of his life journey to date.

Neleonard 8/10
This local, Catalan indie pop band was a chance discovery: I wandered to the small Adidas Stage after failing to be moved by DIIV at Pitchfork next door, yet they aptly fitted the sunny, early summer mood.

Tori Amos 7/10
A replacement for Eels, the Ray Ban stage was packed for this set, which I enjoyed from a seated position on the steps rising up in this amphitheatre. With a clearly loyal audience, it was an emotionally charged performance, extrovert and confident in tone; her pianistic skills were evident too.

Underworld 6/10
Underworld weren't the climax of Primavera's final full day; instead that went to a much acclaimed Caribou's 3am set, which I skipped due to tiredness and the opportunity to see them next month at Latitude. Karl Hyde enthused a crowd which retained more energy them me, and which I found a little brutal. Yet, the joy of an event of this size and ambition is that there are pathways to suit even the most eclectic tastes. I'd been most affected by more intimate moments, and derived most happiness from musical influences from the south and west of Spain.

See my other Primavera 2015 coverage here:
Introduction
Day 1
Day 2

Primavera Sound Day 2, Barcelona, 29th May 8/10

Here are my highlights from the second day at Primavera, starting with Alt-J; overall it was less successful than the others, as I chose to spend much of my time at the two main stages, rather than taking in the more eclectic, smaller scale area.

Alt-J 9/10
Alt-J can appear rather wooden live: it feels as it's such an effort to recreate their intricate music live that they have little capacity left for stagecraft, Yet, this was one occasion at Primavera where a large stage worked for me, aided by a position on the front centre of the rail, and a wonderfully creative light show. To my surprise, the crowd's reaction to songs from the second album was nearly as rapturous as the earlier ones; almost inevitably they ended with Breeze Blocks. This was one of the later night sets I've attended, and also one of the most joyous.

Hiss Golden Messenger (Parc de Ciutadella) 9/10
Following the joyful performance at the main event on the previous day, I was eager not to miss a more intimate free concert in a city park, in blazing sunshine. The set was shorter than I'd have wished, but to experience this group in such close quarters was magical.

Patti Smith 8/10
Performing her album Horses in its entirety, Patti Smith produced a rousing, inspiring call to arms which is just as relevant today in its critique of the military and corporations as was 40 years ago. It was the kind of special event that Primavera excels at, and the delivery was incredibly impassioned and fresh.

Sleater-Kinney 8/10
Had I not seen this legendary Pacific Northwest band from the front of a mid sized indoor space recently, this might well have been the highlight of this festival: despite the less intimate scale, the performance was as ferocious and committed as ever.

Damien Rice 8/10
Primavera was my first time seeing Damien Rice, and I was surprised a solo performer with acoustic guitar could command a such a vast crowd. He made creative use of pedals, and an effects mic for
vocals that he stretched for expressive effect. Above all, I was struck by the gradual build-up to a devastating climax, when finally he picked up the electric guitar.

Sylvan Esso 7/10
Opening my second day on the main site, and like Hiss Golden Messenger earlier from Durham, North Carolina, I found the synthpop duo to be most notable for Amelia Meath's infectious enthusiasm, channelled through dancing. As you'd expect from a former member of Mountain Man, the vocals were strong too, though it may have benefited from the impact of lighting in a night time slot.

Ex Hex 6/10
This band came to my attention due to Mary Timony's, who was a member of Wild Flag, the Sleater-Kinney side project. The stagecraft wasn't quite matched by the more routine sounding rock, which for me, alongside the richness of experience at Primavera didn't find a distrinctive voice.

See my other Primavera 2015 coverage here:
Introduction
Day 1
Day 3