LIVE: Overhead The Albatross

Overhead The Albatross, Fort, Civil Service
20/07/2025
33 Oldham Street, Manchester
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez

Sunday night in Manchester. The heavy July rainfall would make you forget that it’s festival and holiday season. The time of year when many jet off to warmer parts of the world or to sample the many festivals the UK and further abroad have to offer. Live music is still very much alive and kicking here though, especially considering Oasis are playing a sold out show in Heaton Park to the north of the city. Though songs about cigarettes and alcohol aren’t my jam. I’m here for a wee Post-Rock tour package, at one of Manchester’s rather quaint venues in the Northern Quarter, 33 Oldham Street. I knew it was small but didn’t quite realise how small. Given the size and calibre of tonight’s headline act, Overhead The Albatross (OTA), I wondered if the venue was large enough for them and their production values. For you see, they’ve been on large stages at festivals across the UK and mainland Europe. I feel this will be the last time we see them on a smaller 80-cap venue such as this, especially given the strength of the late 2024 release “I Leave You This”. Before them though, two more Post-Rock acts were gracing the stage.

Civil Service

Local lads up first, they looked a little cosy and maybe a tad uncomfortable on that small stage. It took a couple of songs for them to ease into their set, and some sound issues needed ironing out (the bass was overpowering at first). Once these initial nerves had cleared and the sound improved, everybody could settle. They have a pretty cool Instrumental Shoegaze take on Post-Rock, though the most striking features are what appear to be custom short movies for each song. Not many bands make that effort, so fair play to Civil Service for this.

https://www.facebook.com/CivilServiceBand

Fort

May 2024 was the last time I had seen the Welsh Post-Rockers. Since then, they have played Arctangent Festival and have seemingly improved tenfold! They seem to have a complex and varied sound, whether it’s drone and atmospheric elements reminiscent of Year Of No Light, or the groovy hypnotic passages in ‘How To Find Asteroids’, there was some serious individual talent on display.

What happens if your drummer needs to change cymbals and you need to fill the silence? Announce your guitarist’s birthday and have an impromptu Happy Birthday sing-a-long! A great spur-of-the-moment filler!

https://www.facebook.com/FORTMusicUk

OTA

The band seemingly had a larger-than-usual crew for a band of this size as they set up. All part of the wonderful attention to detail OTA pay to things, and they clearly leave no stone unturned. They know how to get the most from their instruments, whether it’s the keys, strings, or drums. They also know how to pace a show, whether it’s the larger and more intense soundscapes or the more mellow, slower ambient sections; the ratio was optimal, neither overwhelming nor understimulating. This, combined with more visual stimulus from the background video, provided a fully immersive experience that made you forget you were in a tiny upstairs venue in Manchester! It makes me wonder what they’ll sound like with the larger stages and potential for upgraded production values.

Although they’re largely instrumental, there are occasional ‘vocals’, more spoken word than singing. Though when there is someone behind the mic, the scarcity makes it feel impactful and meaningful.

If you get a chance to see OTA, make sure you do! They’re worth it!

https://www.facebook.com/overheadthealbatross

I’ll confess, I ducked out during the last song as I was aware of the Oasis gig and anxious about potentially being crammed into the tram like a sardine (and not for the first time). Any other night, I would have stayed behind to tell the bands how much I appreciated their sets. Instead, this review will have to do.

LINKS:

Venue: 

https://www.facebook.com/33oldhamstreet

Disclaimer: This preview is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this preview, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.