Anna Meredith, Soup Kitchen Manchester, 24th March 2016 9/10

Anna Meredith first came to my attention when her piece froms was premiered at the Last Night of the Proms in 2008, to the disgust of some conservative observers who believe that music reached its zenith in the late nineteenth century. Happily the audience last night at her first ever gig appeared to be more open minded, and clearly had much fun. This British classical composer has apparently long held the desire for an electronic project; though she has discovered that life in world of indie, without public subsidy, is financially difficult, so her solo album was delayed whilst the completion of paid commissions took priority. When it was released earlier this month, her debut Varmints gained critical acclaim: I suspect the coveted 'Best New Music' accolade from Pitchfork helped to explain the crowded basement last night and that her London date has sold out.

The avant garde support act Mother prepared the ground with their mind expanding experimentalism. The lead singer came on stage with a plastic bag over her head, and the guitarist wore a veil: opening with a furious climax, they initially felt reminiscent of GOAT in the atmosphere they created. Yet, whilst they maintained an element of mystery, without any talk, the mood soon shifted, the wide dynamics of classical music being invoked during long, delicate female vocal passages. To this were added crunchy, deep bass synth and electronic effects, and a compelling freedom of movement and dancing. I'm so appreciative that this at times bizarre Manchester act stretch the boundaries of convention, and like Anna Meredith they encompass wide influences without respect for genre.

Varmints opens with Nautilus, which has a rich orchestral sound with brass: this wider soundscape immediately signals why this debut album has greater appeal for me than her two early EPs. Any scepticism about how it could be replicated in a club environment was immediately overcome: alongside the rock drummer and electric guitar were acoustic players Tom Kelly on Tuba and Gemma Kost on cello. Anna herself juggled an immense workload on keyboards, vocals, and clarinet, in contrast to her usual passive role as composer when others interpret her concept. The track Taken was sung as a vocal trio in harmony, and throughout this vigorous performance they belied the danger that electronic music adds little live. The thunderous bass gave a visceral thrill that acoustic classical music struggles to replicate, and the volume level was immersive.

There was visual interest too: Anna was expressive, helping to inspire a contingent in the audience to dance, and her enthusiasm and positive energy was clear. She talked confidently between songs, as if unshackled from the relative stuffiness of classical convention. This may have been the opening date of the tour, yet it had clearly been planned meticulously. Her sister's artwork was projected onto the screen behind the stage, the quirky animals and monsters reflecting the 'musical pests', or ideas that couldn't be shaken off, in the album's title. Varmints also benefits from a control of structure: Anna's experience in crafting extended forms (she maps out the progression of a piece graphically before writing it) gave a satisfying shape to the evening. The hour long main set consisted of all but the final song of the album, though the order was varied to guard against predictability, whilst the encore was surprisingly inspired by Celine Dion. Far from feeling derivative, Anna's unorthodox background for a producer has brought new energy into the live presentation of a popular artform, combining intellectual insight with surprising spontaneity of performance. If you're unable to get tickets for the remainder of this tour, I'd urge you to listen to Varmints, one of the most creative, unexpected albums of 2016.

Set List

• Nautilus
• Scrimshaw
• Taken
• Last Rose
• R-Type
• Something Helpful
• Orlok
• Honeyed Words
• Shill
• Dowager
• The Vapours
• Never Wonder (encore)

Mother (support):

Grimes, Manchester Academy, 12th March 2016 10/10

It was clear Grimes would prove to be an electrifying experience from the moment Genesis began, accompanied by amazing choreography, with a crowd of two thousand united in joy, synchronised to the beat, singing along with total commitment. The evening had started auspiciously, the confident opener HANA feeling more like an integral part of the show than a warm up act. She'd already showcased her dancing abilities in that solo set before joining performers Linda and Alison on stage to create an incredible energy. Claire Boucher, a friend of HANA's, was visually mesmerising too, constantly moving around stage, so committed that at the end of Realiti she screamed into the microphone. This was followed by another song from her recent album Art Angels, Flesh Without Blood, where taking up the electric guitar did not stop Grimes continuing to move.

Art Angels moved from electronic experimentation towards a pop direction, but live, the musical language was further simplified to the service of the beat. The bass was thundering, in contrast to the baroque music that we'd been listening to for 90 minutes until this point. The choice was thoughtful: not only did the discontinuity in energy heighten the explosive effect of Grimes' contemporary beats, but Handel, Bach, and Corelli signposted the evening's theme, since their music is also rooted in dance. Like Zola Jesus, whose set at Latitude last year shared a similar intensity, Grimes has absorbed Western classical musical culture, and indeed studied ballet for 11 years. Her genius is to take the genre of K-Pop and transform it into a work of art, aurally and aesthetically. A polymath, Claire apologised for being unable to replicate guest singer Aristophanes' Mandarin on the record, only to perform Scream in Russian instead.

Creativity on this level is made possible through the meeting and cross fertilisation of cultures, an insight that American political debate surely needs to absorb at a time when some advocate the construction of walls. When Grimes signalled that the bass was about to start in earnest before Venus Fly, all boundaries between the eclectic but ecstatic audience disappeared: if only life could imitate art. Whilst making music, Claire was flamboyantly, joyously in character, but talking, she seemed almost embarrassed by the crowd's response, and before the final song, the explosive Kill V. Maim, she had to explain that she didn't do encores. In an all too short 70 minute set of such concentrated inspiration, picking out highlights feels superfluous. However, a reworked dance version of Be A Body from Visions, described as a 'deep cut', exemplifies her re-invention of studio material for a live setting. The stage set itself was minimalist, reflecting Claire's passionate belief in sustainability; this only served to focus attention on the act.

Grimes' emergence on this tour as such a ferocious pop act is reminiscent of St.Vincent exploding onto the gig circuit in 2014. If there's any justice, Claire will achieve the critical and popular recognition that tour brought Annie Clark, having swapped a once slight presence for command of the entire venue. Songs like My Wait Is U and Oblivion takes you on a dream like journey. For sheer all-absorbing escapism, this set ranked alongside Arcade Fire's in Blackpool in winter 2013. That had a similarly electric atmosphere, and last night's celebratory, party atmosphere proved so helpful on what had turned out to be my first day of unemployment after losing a job of several years the day before. Her ethereal and otherworldly falsetto voice, combined with endlessly inventive production and composition add to the belief that few could have left Manchester University doubting Grimes' genius. One can only hope that the higher state of consciousness that makes such art possible can somehow have a progressive influence on the world outside.

Set List

• Laughing and Not Being Normal
• Genesis
• Realiti
• Flesh without Blood
• Scream (Russian lyrics)
• Venus Fly
• Butterfly
• Be A Body (new version)
• Go
• Symphonia IX (My Wait Is U)
• Oblivion
• World Princess Part II
• Kill v. Maim

HANA