Shape of Water, Raised By Wolves, Lythium
Shape Of Water, Raised By Wolves, Lythium
Castle Hotel, Manchester
03/02/2024
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
Nothing quite like late and spontaneous plans, is there? While I was being ‘productive’ at my day job on Friday afternoon and scrolling through Facebook (well, who really does any work at 4pm on a Friday anyway?) I came across the poster for quite an impressive lineup! A lineup of bands centred around the Alternative Rock genre. The Leaf Promotions logo acts as a seal of approval for quality, signifying John and the team’s impressive work over the years to bring a range of original Rock and Alternative events to venues in and around the Manchester area. Since I now live in Manchester, it would be rude not to attend! So that would be my Saturday night sorted.
The venue itself was new to me, tucked away in the heart of Manchester’s city centre, towards the Northern Quarter. So much so, I walked past it twice (insert facepalm meme). As for the venue itself, let’s just say it was cosy! Though with 50 or so like-minded musos gathered to rejoice in their love of live music, this made for a fun atmosphere in what was a very small function room. As I’ve alluded to in recent articles, that’s surely more important than any visual aesthetic. Though it was hot. Very hot. I wish I had worn shorts! Anyway, less mulling about choices of attire and more about the bands. First up, Lythium. Let’s get into it.
It had been nearly 4 years since I had seen the Lancashire based rockers perform. Since then, there’s been some personnel changes. Though they’ve stuck to their guns and to what works stylistically. What works then? Meaty and crunchy guitars laying down the melodic focal point and building upon the solid foundations set by the rhythm section of the band, combined with the soaring and blazing lead vocals that command instant respect and admiration! That’s what, and that’s what Lythium brought. While that description could apply to many bands, that’s the thing with Lythium. There was no evidence of reinventing the wheel there, just sticking to these fundamentals and executing them with expert precision. They make every note count and have meaning while being on that stage. It was a solid opening performance that had the crowd invested and dancing along, which is a phenomenal compliment for an original band.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen the Merseyside based quartet Raised By Wolves over the years! Though in that time, they’ve demonstrated remarkable consistency and stability in that time and know who they are as a band. Though they still manage to push themselves creatively and create fresh material. Judging by the amount of band t-shirts in the crowd, they know what the band are all about. So, who are Raised By Wolves? Steering more towards that 90s Grunge and Nu-Metal sound, they can go toe-to-toe with some of the heavier bands out there, with some chest thumping grooves and crushing guitar tones. Yet you can also find yourself purring in admiration at some of the more calmer and experimental melodic elements in their sound. As well as Liv’s scorching vocals and immaculate stage presence. All of this was on display last night… and it was glorious! Another solid set.
Shape of Water were the headline act, and you could sense a step up in quality immediately from the first note. A step up in terms of sound quality, as well as overall stage presence. Being only a 3 piece means there’s minimal margin for error and any mistakes will stand out like a sore thumb. They sounded flawless on that stage though, moving freely and confidently while working the already red hot crowd with frightening ease. If the two previous bands had more of a classic sound to them, Shape Of Water definitely steer more towards an experimental edge, with the elegant use of synths and other electronic elements to shape their more modern sound. That combined with blazing guitar melodies, good old fashioned soaring and instantly memorable choruses that could fill out stadiums, gives you a powerhouse of a band. I’ll definitely do some digging into their back catalogue, having only heard of them 24 hours or so previously.
Overall, another solid night for Leaf and the brand’s reputation is well and truly intact. I’m going to make a conscious effort to get to more shows like this, especially if they’re going to be of this standard.
LINKS:
Leaf Promotions:
Castle Hotel:
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