1,354 MERCURY REV, Nina Savary, Bristol Trinity Centre, Sunday 3rd November 2024

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So, back on the gig trail properly now, a busy November opening up with a rare visit from Americana veterans Mercury Rev. It’s now over a quarter-century since they were the cutting edge of US alt-rock, their 1998 sweeping epic “Deserter’s Songs” reinventing their hitherto laze psych-grunge/ metronomic shoegaze sound with some dazzling expansive blues-tinged Americana, and since then they’ve rarely reached those heights on record, whilst nonetheless still remaining a relatively reliable “live” proposition (their ill-judged foray into noisy electronic dance on their “Snowflake Midnight” aberration notwithstanding). So, I picked up tix for this, the closest in a run of dates supporting new album “Born Horses” and their first UK tour since their fine 2017 orchestra-augmented jaunt (gig 1,047) and was hit in short order with a potential case of caveat emptor; the album, whilst sonically harking back to those widescreen Americana days, was mostly spoken word, lyrics recited rather than sung by main man Johathan Donohue. Knowing how much I expect my singers to actually sing, I really couldn’t get on with it, and briefly considered blowing this gig out, only to discover the new album didn’t feature much on the tour setlist anyway! OK then, go for it!

I had company tonight in gig buddy Stu, so I picked him up and we dumped the motor in Cabot Street after a swift run down catching up. Had to queue to get in – maybe doors were 7.30 not 7! – and continued the chat to drown out the freeform jazz played over the P.A! Support Nina Savory joined us just after 20 past 8; a French chanteuse accompanying herself on keyboards and sparsely played guitar, she warbled her way through some very 60’s sounding torch music/ black and white B movie soundtrack stuff, occasionally in French and with a very precisely enunciated (and rather twee actually) voice. Dreadfully dull and soporific and definitely not to my tastes, pastoral finale “How Was Your Day?” was the best of a poor bunch.

Luckily we didn’t have to wait long for something immeasurably better; the lights smashed to black at 9.15 and an eerie backing track of a boy talking to a snake (!) heralded the arrival of the 7-piece Rev onstage, the raffish Donahue, cravat and cap jauntily in place, emerging last, his usual beatific smile already crossing his features. The dramatic piano opening of “DS” deep cut “The Funny Bird” kicked off the set, Donahue conducting proceedings from the off with his usual dramatic and expansive flourishes. “So great to see you guys again!” he exclaimed before “Tonite It Shows”, a more robust underpinning beat and big blasting trumpet embellishment giving this usually touching and stark ballad considerably more oomph.

This turned out to be a leitmotif for this performance; the older material, particularly the frequent “Deserter’s Songs” inclusions in this set, were given new and more dynamic arrangements for this “live” environment. Following a sadly discordant Bob Dylan cover, an earlier than scheduled “Goddess On A Hiway” particularly benefitted from this new treatment, the double-speed drumbeat really propelling the soaring chorus along and giving it the stadium anthemic feel of a Springsteen number! The otherwise taciturn Donahue then praised Bristol’s talent for producing genre-bending musicians and acts, thence introducing Portishead’s Adrian Utley onstage for the remainder of the set. Whilst Utley’s initial contribution on “Ancient Love” made this new spoken-word number a little cluttered, overlong and slightly self-indulgent, the swirling mystery of “Tides Of The Moon” was epic and crescendo-filled, Utley’s guitar contributing in no little part. “Holes” was as ever quite magnificent, widescreen yet intimate and personal, Donahue rising to the occasion with his best vocal performance of the night, his often high, lilting and soft tones really to the fore.

“Opus 40”, normally sweeping and stately, devolved into practically punk rock mosh-pit catnip with a positively savage and almost Green Day-esque speeded up lengthy outro and multiple false “rawk” endings, each teased by a buoyant Donahue; then an abrupt mood change segued into the plaintive, stripped back set closer “The Dark Is Rising”, each voice/ keys only verse capped with a huge orchestral swell, culminating in an extensive crescendo finale. A splendid way to end a variable set which was nonetheless magnificent in large part, harking back to those turn of the Century times when Mercury Rev were rightly declared “America’s Most Pioneering Band”. A quick chat with recent Bristol gig buddy Jeremy before we hit the road for a quick drive home. Maybe those Pioneering days are gone on record at least, but “live”, Mercury Rev still find a way to review, reinvent and surprise, judging by this overall thoroughly entertaining set!