Being As An Ocean – Live @ Roadhouse
aaamusic | On 07, Dec 2014
Wednesday 26th November, Manchester
An anticipated trip to a gig is always a pleasure, especially when it’s one with a line up as diverse as the one on display tonight. The crooks and crannies of small dingy clubs such as the Roadhouse, which I have fond memories of myself performing on this very stage at, make for hospitable surroundings for crowd and band alike. Tonight had a real fun atmosphere.
The first band we are treated to tonight are Crooks, who are all adorned in black, like The Cure in their formative years, with all their macabre. Yet, there’s something different: Crooks sway, seething, with piercing looks in vocalist Josh’s eyes, before the band launch into their performance. What a performance it is, from start to finish, and as an added bonus, being that there’s no barrier, Josh takes the opportunity to jump into the crowd; although not too many members in crowd seem all that familiar with the band, this does nothing to deter Josh or the rest of his band mates. Each member throws their bodies into the music, with every motion reacting to every emotion that’s is embodied in the lyrics that are screamed with an almighty force. The band clearly know what they are doing and, quite clearly, the band leave an impression.
My Iron Lung, a band who I was only familiar with by name, became my favourite act of the evening. Not long into their set, Matthew, My Iron Lung’s vocalist, professed what a great feeling it was to be on stage in front of a crowd in England, a place he had always dreamed of performing in, and thanked them for coming to the show. He was very humble, which I admired, and the band played so well, with so much grove and a passion which was unmatched tonight. The juxtaposition of sound that the band has created, though not dissimilar from some of the acts tonight, included beautifully gladdened guitar melodies, over vocals that sometimes were reminiscent of Brand New. Incredible set.
Vanna are a band that have gone through numerous inceptions throughout the decade, and have rejuvenated themselves; some might argue as a totally different band, but tonight proves they are better for it. Davey, Vanna’s lead vocalist, comes across as very charismatic and you can feel the beads of sweat perspiring as Davey thrashes his hair around; the audience are evidently mesmerised. During tonight’s performance, we witness a complete transformation of a band: the sound was more evolved and sounded like an act who had something to actually scream and shout about. With tonight’s performance, Vanna proved that their evolution has been necessary. Tracks off their latest effort Void are a delight; they encapsulate a band of change and catharsis, which has clearly been thanks to Davey, who brings their set to a climactic end.
Our last act tonight is Being As An Ocean, who display two sonic side; a band that embellishes the sound of their first record, Dear G-d…, and that of their newest offering, How We Both Wondrously Perish. Both records have a quality to them that is displayed live tonight, but it is the newer songs that sound bigger and bolder. It doesn’t take Joel, BAAO’s vocalist, long before he’s in the middle of the crowd, as the band are gearing up, waiting for the calm before the storm. It is a storm that hits when the band kick off, and he remains there for a large portion of their set. It almost begs the question, what is the point in a stage? A band and crowd relationship is so underpinned on the crowd moving to the music and reacting to it, that it makes a lot of sense to see Joel singing with the crowd right in their faces. It’s why I fell in love with music that is this chaotic in its nature, yet also cathartic and inspiring too… and that is what tonight was!
