reviews
LIVE REVIEW
BOB VYLAN / GROVE Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff Tue 17 May
Cheltenham-born, Bristol-based Grove and their on-stage accomplice EJ:AKIN are dressed like cybergoths – and it’s not just the neckware that’s spiky. The feral mash-up of dancehall, UK garage and industrial punk is like a raging Missy Elliott getting her freak on to The Prodigy’s Breathe in a grimy cellar club. For Grove, music is evidently both a means of coming to terms with and expressing their identity – whether on Black, written after the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was torn down and tossed into the harbour, or Sticky, which deliberately queers dancehall’s aggressive heteronormativity.
Headliners, London duo Bob Vylan, duly treat the sold-out crowd to a most invigorating punk/metal workout, swiftly turning the room into a sauna. Sportswear-clad frontman Bobby Vylan assumes the role of Mr Motivator, urging the audience to “wage war against the state”. As this might imply, they’re a middle finger extended in the face of the establishment: their new album The Price Of Life couldn’t be more timely.
In Bob Vylan’s world, blunt-force slogans and messages are very much the order of the day. “I heard you want your country back,” spits Bobby, flailed by his own dreads; “shut the fuck up!” There’s no room for subtlety, niceties or conciliatory gestures – Take That demands you take sides, and Pretty Songs, during which he brandishes a baseball bat, admonishes pacifist punks for advocating non-violence.
Amid the carnage, Bobby pays tribute to both his bromance with bandmate Bobbie (who is drumming while wearing a knee brace), and the venue across the street, the Moon – one of the first places to pay them properly, arranging food and accommodation, at a time when they were used to travelling by Megabus. It’s impossible not to see the band’s trajectory as powerful testament to the enduring value of grassroots venues.
words BEN WOOLHEAD photo HANNAH NICOLSON-TOTTLE
LIVE REVIEW
GREGORY PORTER / LADY BLACKBIRD Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Fri 13 May
Talented. Masterful. Unmistakable. These are just a few words used to describe Gregory Porter and his band, who finally performed in the Welsh capital after a two-year delay. They had a lot to live up to with this high praise – and they didn’t disappoint.
Buzzing with excitement, the audience welcomed the Grammy award-winning singer, who was touring his sixth studio album, All Rise, to the Cardiff stage. Opening with the energetic and gospel-inspired Revival, Porter’s distinctive voice instantly filled the room, and it was only moments before the audience was clapping along. It was clear that he is an artist at home in front of an audience.
During the mix of blues, gospel, and jazz tunes, blue and red lights and a thin fog filled the stage, inducing an ethereal feel. Little touches – like tales of dinner with Tom Jones and inviting a Royal Welsh College student on stage to play alongside his band – made this show feel special. Penultimate number Thank You, Mr Holland epitomised Gregory Porter’s melodic ease and contagious delight in music, bringing the audience to their feet for a much-deserved standing ovation.
An ovation shared with special guest Lady Blackbird, who opened the show. Appearing in a crystal leotard, her first, deep, lyrical note brought the room to silence. Premiering her debut album, Black Acid Soul, the singer – real name Marley Munroe – held the audiences’ attention with technically challenging melodies and heartfelt lyrics. Throughout the set, her fabric wings moved harmoniously, creating an almost hypnotic addition to the likes of signature tune Blackbird.
This show tackled issues like race and love, and was fuelled by positivity. As Porter concluded with You Can Join My Band, it was hard not to accept the invite – and keep the show going forever.
words ELOUISE HOBBS photo TIM ALBAN
62
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
