MUSIC REVIEW: Swervedriver - The Deaf Institute, Manchester

The Deaf Institue provides a cosy venue for Swervedriver, often touted as underrated (or, if you like, a hidden gem of the music scene) and their performance certainly leaves me with the impression they should be on a larger stage, but they certainly filled the iconic, worn-in venue they played in, with its giant disco ball, wall of old speakers behind the bar and torn-off wallpaper at the back.

The main act of the evening could certainly hold their audience captive, being as they were enthusiastic between songs, if a little trepidatious about getting too close to the stage. It was nice to see a crowd so enthusiastic about the band, and clearly enjoying the music without the distracting sea of smartphones that accompanies so many gigs these days.

With a strong, upbeat start and end, book-ending more mellow moments in between, the band do a good job of showing off the material from their latest album as well as a good smattering of their older songs. I would have liked to have seen a bit more interaction with the crowd, but the band clearly has a talent for flowing seamlessly from one track to the next, displaying exactly the sort of relaxed, confident musical competence you’d expect from a group with over twenty years of experience, albeit with a ten year hiatus in the middle.

It was clear the band were enjoying themselves on stage, at a couple of points getting lost in their instrumental sections, but not getting carried away so far as to only be playing for themselves, as can happen when a group of talented musicians get in the groove. It was also clear that the audience were enjoying themselves just as much, especially when the band’s exit led to immediate and hearty demand for an encore, which the band provided in style.

Although their new material has changed in tone lyrically from their up-beat, optimistic view of what’s to come, to a more sombre reflection of the state of the world, you wouldn’t recognise it from the music that backs those words. They like to call their music “space travel rock and roll”, which is as true now as it was on their debut record, Raise, although the sounds of their new tracks feel fresh and new – they’ve had their sound from the start, and only expanded on it.

Any good band is preceded by support acts, and up first were Gorgeous Bully, a three-piece consisting of a guitarist/singer, a bassist and a drummer. The singer had a good stage presence and did a great job of trying to coax an innevitably thin and quiet pre-main-act audience into some interraction, at one point jesting as part of a back-and-forth with one of the crowd that “you’ve not got a beard unless you’re hiding something”, which got a satisfying laugh from those that were there early. As for their music, Gorgeous Bully’s music was drudgy, dischordant and catchy, if a little simple and formulaic, but worthy of the mild head-nodding it got from their audience. An unfortunate buzz between their songs would have been nice to have seen away, but it didn’t detract from their mostly enthusiastic performance.

Next were Rev Magnetic promoting their debut album, Versus Universe, released last Friday, and given their performance I will definitely be checking it out. Although their demeanour didn’t have the up-beatness of the openers or the confident seasoning of the main act, their music spoke volumes. Changing effortlessly between slow, ethereal tones and a heavy wall of sound, the next beat was always unpredictable, but always worked. With a guitarist, a drummer, the bassist/singer having a keyboard at her disposal (and, at one point, a xylophone) and the singer/guitarist at one point a violin at his, their sound was at times complex but always catchy and captivating. The two singing voices, male and female, contrasted and complemented each other well, even if they were unfortunately drowned out during the louder parts of their set.

If you loved Swervedriver before, you won’t be disappointed, and you’d thank yourself if you get there early enough to see Rev Magnetic.

Reviewer - John Graham
on - 13/5/19