1,315 WINGS OF DESIRE, Hunny Buzz, Bristol Rough Trade Records, Wednesday 21st February 2024

 

Inheaven were one of my favourite bands of the mid-2010’s; bursting into my consciousness with a fully-formed debut album, incorporating elements of post-punk, shoegaze and wall-of-noise sleazoid rock into a fascinating, leather-clad and rose petal-strewn melting pot, they were also a fiercely ambitious lot, clearly going places in a hurry. I saw them 3 times in barely 8 months (gigs 1,043, 1,057 and 1,070) and was bolted in for the longhaul with them. That is, until a blood-splattered bouquet posted on Facebook with the epithet “RIP 2015-2018” heralded their demise… dammit! OK, fast forward 5 years or so, when I picked up on a deliriously metronomic track “Runnin’” by new name Wings Of Desire, downloaded that and their subsequent excellent synth-washed post-punk anthology album “Life Is Infinite”, and then looked up who they actually were, only to find WoD were effectively the 2-headed creative force behind Inheaven, namely vocalist James Taylor and his partner-in-crime, Swindon’s own Chloe Little! This duo having happily been restored to my listening habit, all I needed was a show to follow this up… 

Happily, a debut headlining tour was in the offing, and I brainwashed Tim into taking me along to the Bristol Rough Trade show, still being a few weeks away from being cleared to drive myself. I’d also organised some seats, and on arrival found they were right down the front of this splendid little back room, house left. Result! Chilled awhile as the hardy early comers trickled in out of the drizzly Tuesday evening, until openers Hunny Buzz took the stage at 8. Fronted by a vivacious female vocalist with a lilting, beguiling voice, they immediately impressed with a varied set of buoyant indie pop, incorporating a lot of familiar elements but never descending into obvious plagiarism. Opener “Chess Game”’s seductive backbeat built into a rousing choral hook, “Love Me Like You Used To” was a much more upbeat, careering Popguns-like old school indie banger with a “woah-oh” hook, and “Not Your Place” featured an almost Skids-like dark and robust opening riff, building into a C86 jangle-fest with a snarky, Coach Party-like chorus. A few little bumps in the road here and there (particularly from the drummer, who dropped his stick a couple of times, laudably resorting to playing with his hands!), but to be expected from this very young band, and a very promising set overall was concluded by their best number “Now I Can Get Over You”, a stream-of-consciousness verse vocal kicking into a big powerpop/Blondie hook. Nice work!

Wings Of Desire themselves took the stage dead on 9 after a short interval in front of a slightly disappointing but understandable turnout on this dank midweek evening, James centre stage, resplendent in olive and tweed, and Chloe, sporting outsized David Byrne jacket, sited behind a synth desk. Opener “Runnin’”, eased into life, the post-punk haunting swirl and synth-augmented mood immediately setting the tone for the set overall; where their forbears Inheaven were all about strident guitar licks and leather-clad rock, WoD evoke a dreamier, more ephemeral mood, keyboard-embellished but never dominated, and still notably post-punk tinged. In a nutshell, they’ve thrown away the first 2 Jesus And Mary Chain albums and replaced them with New Order’s opening double salvo…! 

“Be Here Now” was an early highlight, featuring a deadpan verse delivery from James almost recalling The Passage (!), the subsequent “Chance Of A Lifetime” was a slower burn with intertwining vocals from James and Chloe, and “A Million Other Suns” featured Interpol-like laconic atmospherics. “This is the longest set we’ve ever done!” announced the hitherto taciturn vocalist before “Perfect World”, their most Inheaven-esque number, the JAMC backbeat leading to a soaring surf punk hook with a droney, Velvets-like outro, then a later “Angels” was full-on Cocteaus dreampop, stately and elegiac, with a disaffected lead vocal from Chloe. A rather splendid actually set concluded with thanks from the band, and the pulsing intro to “001”, which built to a New Order “Ceremony”-esque final guitar crescendo to end (if I’m honest, not the first WoD number to do so tonight), at which point I leapt (hah!) up to grab James’ list.

 Quick reminisces with James and Chloe afterwards, recalling those Inheaven days and discussing their forthcoming Editors European support dates. Hit the road with Tim reflecting on a fine first showing. Like their forbears, Wings Of Desire’s influences are easy to spot, but once again they’re infusing them into an intriguing and haunting mix very much their own. Great to have James and Chloe back making meaningful music; perhaps Wings Of Desire will finally see them soar to the heights they deserve…!

1,314 B SYDES, Heartwork, Ed Poole, Swindon The Tuppenny, Thursday 15th February 2024

 

Continuing with my gig February, despite still needing crutches to get around out and about; this one promised to be an interesting night, an emo-leaning triple header of acoustic guitar acts for this week’s Tuppenny Thursday Music Club, headed by recent “live” favourite and now-Swindon local Ben Sydes! This was the second of a brief 3-date tour from this 3-headed emo hydra, ironically named the “we are laughing and we are very good friends tour (!)”, and I’d been corresponding with Ben recently on the subject of Spanish Love Songs (Ben going to their Bristol gig on the day of my knee op), promising him that if I was up on my feet, I’d get to this gig, even if that meant getting a taxi!

And so it proved; with my dear lady wife out in London, Logan and I booked a cab up the hill for my first such gig transport since I don’t even know, I’m guessing The Popguns at The Link back in 1992 (gig 212)! Arrived at 8 and bagsied a seat down the front, also catching up with Tupp luminaries Ed and Linda, Grant and Lisa, Nick and a visiting Mr. Gaz Brookfield! Chatted briefly with the star of the show as well, before settling in for opener, Scouser Ed Poole just after 8.30. After a couple of entertaining and frenetic openers, featuring some neat off-mic undulating vocals, Ed unfortunately hit some technical issues, requiring the help of Heartwork’s Dan O’Dell to sort out, which immediately jogged my memory as to when I’d seen Heartwork before; he’d been “Mr. Fixit” at Gaz’ 2022 Fleece Chrimbo do (gig 1,257), sorting out busted guitar strings during Ben’s opening set! Anyway, back to Ed; tech issues (mostly) sorted, the subsequent “Collapse” was a fast-paced, almost Woodentopsy acoustic rattler with a passionately delivered, dark chorus and descending hook; “Punchline” was by contrast stripped back and bleak; and finale “Knives” was my favourite of a well-delivered set, another galloper with a big yearning emo hook. Good start!

 The affable young Mr. O’Dell, AKA Heartwork, was next up… opener “Achilles Friend” was an intricately-picked paean to lost love, Dan quipping at the denouement, “we got through a whole song without something going wrong!” apparently not only in reference to Ed’s set, but also his own most recent appearance here, when he didn’t quite manage to complete 3 numbers! The angsty, octave straddling “Right Thing” featured a quick appearance from Ben, “Wreckage” (introduced with, “to pick things up, a song about divorce!”) was a duet with Mr. Poole, and strident closer “Party” a purging exorcism and essay on mental health, all being delivered with a witty, affable bonhomie often at odds with the dour, darker lyrical subject matter. Again, a fine set from Mr. Heartwork…

 

Old Ben Sydes (!) then took the stage for the headlining set just about 10, his unique soaring nasal quaver dovetailing in nicely with the droney riff of opener “5 Minutes”. An excellent, passionately delivered version of his best number, the soaring and lengthy pregnant pause-punctuated “Crutches” was next up, happily dedicated to my good self, so I gave my crutches a little wave to emphasise the point! “Good Times” was a fine singalong from the packed and engaged room, and before a discordant, off-kilter “All At Sea” Ben emphasised the “we are very good friends…” angle by mentioning, “we’ve been sat on my sofa all afternoon watching “Dolphin Bonk” on YouTube!” A work-in-progress newie, the lockdown hymn “Screaming Infidelities” (nicking a Dashboard Confessional title!) skipped a verse, but as I whispered to Ben at the end, “it’s a new number, we [the audience] don’t know any different!” “The Desperate Dance” (which also saw his 2 tour mates desperate dancing by the door!) was a final singalong, before Ben thanked us, “for coming out on a rainy Thursday to what is now my home town show!”, a frantic “Still In Saigon” with the usual dramatic riffery and lengthy final vocal note rounding off another entertaining showing.

 Hobbled around the venue bidding farewells to everyone while Logan predictably nipped to the kebab house next door (!), then Rach came to pick us up for a sodden trundle down the hill and home. A fine triple-header indeed!

1,313 BIG COUNTRY, Icicle Works (acoustic), Bristol O2 Academy, Friday 9th February 2024

 

Two weeks and two days after my long-awaited knee operation, and I’m already back on the gig trail! A bit mad, maybe, but I am, after all, me… In all honesty, however, this one was totally thanks to old friend and tonight’s gig buddy Rich; we’d booked this one, a 40^th (!) Anniversary Celebration of old “live” favourites and 80’s Celtic post-punk icons Big Country’s sophomore album, the imposing “Steeltown”, when tix went on sale last year, however the rescheduling of my knee op from late December to late January put my attendance in jeopardy. Rich, however, was having none of it; if I can get on my feet even with crutches, he said, he’d get me there; and he was as good as his word. Good man! 

So, I’d phoned the venue to arrange seating and early entry, and Rich, along with friend Nikki, picked me up in ample time to hit the venue at 6.20, even given Friday night Bristol traffic! He dropped me off outside the venue and went off to park the car, then we had a swift drink in the Hatchet before queueing up, thence grabbing three of the dozen or so bar stools located in the main bar area, immediately behind the mixing desk and affording an excellent view. Not the comfiest of seats, in all honesty, but at least I’m up off my feet! Old Brunel/ Level 3 mates Steffen and Adam unexpectedly walked in, so we had a nice chat and catch up before openers The Icicle Works at 8. An acoustic version tonight, comprising a duo of former IW main man and barking mad maverick Ian McNabb, resplendent in rocker double denim and steampunk hat, and old IW sidekick Chris Lay, they ploughed through a selection of “nostalgia” from the Scouse rockers’ impressive post-punk/ pseudo prog 80’s back catalogue, revealing extra levels of songwriting prowess in this stripped back format. Opener “Hollow Horse” was a melancholy wallow before the soaring chorus, McNabb encouraging singalongs throughout, “Little Girl Lost” was a plaintive tale reminiscent of The Doors’ quieter moments, and “Evangeline” a drawling Southern road movie vignette. Throughout McNabb was his usual effusive, sardonic self, introducing one number with, “here’s a track from 1985; it wasn’t a hit so fits in well with the rest of the set!”, and encouraging us early comers to meet up at the merch stand; “you don’t have to buy anything, but fucking do!” A very Country and Western-inflected “Understanding Jane” (“UJ” – the Yellowstone years?) was far removed from the soaring full band belter but my set highlight nonetheless, and after the intricate campfire picking of set closer “Love Is A Wonderful Colour” I took the man’s advice and hobble out to the foyer for a pic and a brief chat! 

Back in as I overheard the dark, pulsing “Steeltown” intro music, and I was back on my stool for the band’s arrival dead on 9. The snaking guitar riffery of “Flame Of The West”, delivered in fine homage to his sadly lamented former bandleader Stuart Adamson by beaming guitarist Bruce Watson, already in fantasy band camp and caring not a jot that the place was probably only 2/3rds full, opened proceedings, with “new” (I say “new”, he’s been in the band 2 years now…) vocalist Simon Hough delivering the lead line with his low, nasal and surprisingly Adamson-like voice. Good start!

 For me, there’s little to choose in terms of songwriting quality between “Steeltown” and its predecessor, Big Country’s debut “The Crossing”; however “Steeltown”, reflective of the turbulent industrial times of the mid-80s, is a more politically-charged and social commentary-led beast, often bleak of mood and atmosphere. That said, the title track and subsequent “Where The Rose Is Sown” was an early double highlight, the respective choral hooks soaring and singalong despite the subject matter, both powered along by drummer Mark Brzezicki’s economical yet commanding style. “Winter Sky” was an unexpected galloping highlight, and album closer “Just A Shadow” a fine, plaintive lament, yet the mood changed markedly with the subsequent and considerably more upbeat “Look Away”, the crowd suddenly in full anthemic voice, continuing the singalong into the subsequent “Chance” and set highlight, the euphoric “In A Big Country”. A thunderous “Fields Of Fire”, including a vignette of “Whisky In The Jar”, capped an imperfect (a few bum notes, but no surprise for the opening night of the tour) yet fine 1 hour 20 minutes, with “Lost Patrol” an unexpected choice for the sole encore. 

Grabbed a list and a chat outside with Big Country guitarist Jamie Watson as Rich got the car, slow egress from the city centre nonetheless getting us home for ¼ to 12. Not as singalong as previous Big Country gigs, maybe, but a fine night out and an apt celebration of a notable album. Thanks Rich!