The Lanes, Bristol, Monday 4th April 2022
LIFTER
One of two local bands supporting headline US act UV-TV, Lifter consummately set about opening up the nights entertainment.
A reasonable size crowd for a wet n windy Monday night had come along to the Lanes. And the local 4 piece who’ve only been together for a matter of months provided a solid start.
Lifter have only released two singles thus far, but the set gave the impression of a band that had been together a while longer.
What id describe as a toe tapping set from the lo-fi indie rockers certainly pleased those gathered to watch.
Stage presence and consequently crowd interaction isn’t fair to judge this early into the bands tenure. The band appearing to be happy enough to be up there playing for us, but also themselves. And continuing to clock up stage time as they build and develop their sound. Definitely one to watch over the coming months as they play across the Bristol scene.
NOSSIENNES
There is no better feeling as a avid live music & gig goer than a band taking you utterly by surprise. (No… I don’t mean creeping up behind you whilst queuing for a beer) Nossiennes are firmly in this category.
A total unknown quantity to me before the gig. I had to enquire to a few around me if they’d seen the band and what sort of style I could expect.“Sorta shoe gaze” “A bit like muse crossed with Depeche Mode” came the answers.
Now the first comment re shoe gaze filled me with apprehension. It’s not a genre I personally enjoy. As I’ve seen it done so badly so many times.
I am happy to report however that Nossiennes were superb. So good that I’d happily go out of my way to catch them live again. In the three years the band has been together they’ve honed a crushing sound that shudders into your bones. Overlaying the wall of noise is a vocal that is both soft and powerful in equal measure. Some of the drops and builds were epic in nature. Many a time I stopped dead from shooting to simply admire the musicianship at work here. One of the strongest support sets I’ve seen in a while with “Ondine”, “Factory #2” and “Unisons” particular favourites.
The trio have made me question my apathy toward shoe gaze that’s for sure.
UV-TV
For a debut UK tour UV TV hit all the right notes.
The 4 piece, post punk, DIY outfit from NYC are a multi-layered band than just make things look so easy.
Rose Vastola (guitars / vox), Ian Bernacett (guitars), Ian Rose (drums) plus latest recruit Grace Lisa Scott (guitar) have waited patiently to tour 2021’s “Always Something”
That patience is now bearing fruit with live performances that are as full of charm as the band members themselves.
Rose’s performance reminds me somewhat of Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles in it’s confident, effortless delivery.
We get basically the whole of the new album, but curiously not in the track running order you’d necessarily expect. This keeps the set fresh and from feeling like you are simply listening to a live recording of the album. My two favourite tracks from the album “Distant lullaby” & “Back to nowhere” sandwiched in the middle of the set and sounded sooooo so good live.
It’s a performance that injects an extra level of heavy ness into the glorious hazy shades of the recorded tracks, the drumming of Ian a particularly intense treat.
Shades is a good description for the band. They are capable of blending very complex layers that drift in and out of sounds of eighties guitar bands such as The Bangles into the early 90’s indie bands. It’s a great mix of feeling retro yet authenticity fresh at the same time.
There’s a complex depth to the band that leaves you feeling as though we are only just starting to scratch the surface of what they are capable of.
We really look forward to welcoming them back to Bristol sooner rather than later.
The Bristol Nomad
@bristolnomad_gigphotography
Leave a Reply