REVIEW: Taut Angles at Sidney&Matilda
I’ve long had a theory that all the best bands have names that instantly sum them up. Hear it once and you’ll know their vibe, their sound, how they look. Well, except My Bloody Valentine (not emo). And Super Furry Animals (not for kids). And Destroyer (not metal, not hardcore)…
Well, Taut Angles back me up on that half-baked idea at least. Their interpretation of post-punk blends motorik precision and nervous tension into a compulsive live show. Following a recent slot at Sidney&Matilda’s Other Festival, they return to the same venue to headline a stacked evening of local music.
Duo Scarlett & Dan (no band name controversy there) start proceedings with an eclectic series of covers. Scarlett’s vocals and 12-string provide a sweet counterpoint to Dan’s grittier, effects-laden guitar, with The Black Key’s ‘Lonely Boy’ in particular showing some nice interplay. The early arrivers among tonight’s audience nod along to a stripped-back interpretation of country-pop darling CMAT’s ‘Have Fun!’, before the pair finish with the heartfelt and appropriately CMAT-esque original ‘Boots’.
Next up are Gloom, who visibly grow in confidence through their grungey set. Melodic basslines recall Joy Division, while searing lead guitar and quiet-loud vocals make it clear why frontwoman Ana picked out Hole’s ‘Live Through This’ as an influential record in a recent social media post. ‘Rift’ stands out with its 6/8 sway and insistent riff. Ana may jokingly dismiss it as “soppy shit”, but does find time to lead the crowd in singing happy birthday for Taut Angles frontman Lee. Although Gloom may musically back up my ‘apt name’ theory, they’re a sweet bunch really…
Trio Jarg Armani are tonight’s final support act. My theory holds again; as you’d expect for a band named for a Half Man Half Biscuit song, they deliver a witty, no-holds-barred take on punk rock. They describe themselves as the former ‘engine room’ for cult Manchester band King of the Slums, and it’s an apt description as their formidable rhythm section beats in perfect sync beneath guitar lines that alternately choke and roar. The unsettled atmosphere and quickfire songs would be right at home on Wire’s Pink Flag. ‘Lighthouse’’s intense refrain of “overeducated, overmedicated, overstimulated, overcelebrated’ stands out, very much on brand with what’s to come from our headliners.
Taut Angles waste no time setting the tone as they take the stage. The entrancing drones of ‘Let’s Get to Better’ instil a compulsive, tense atmosphere. Singer Lee Pearse visibly feeds off this nervous energy, body and face contorting like a mad preacher. As the four-piece ease into the Bad Seeds stomp of ‘Quiet Madness’, the audience are rapt.
‘Disappear’ ups the energy with its martial drumbeat, and mid-set highlight ‘Looking Like Jaap Blonk’ gets the Factory Room dancing and shuffling to its irresistible central riff. Pearse’s unhinged stream-of-consciousness rant starring the titular Dutch avant-garde performance artist is wonderful. It’s hard not to be utterly transfixed as he wails “Do you have a minute/do you have a minute/I SAID, DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE?”, somehow making direct eye contact with everyone in the room simultaneously.
The band rip through a well-rehearsed set, swapping instruments, entering the crowd and segueing with minimal fuss between songs that veer stylistically between doomy desert-rock jams and upbeat post-punk. It could be overbearing, but the counterpoint comes in the messages of hope contained in frontman Pearse’s lyrics. Closer ‘We Are Delicate’ is a powerful mantra of mutual affirmation, its repeated titular phrase a collective salve to the soul in what are troubling times. And really, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Four acts, three hours of great live music for not much more than a pint, the building of tension, the subsequent catharsis. We may be delicate, but nights like this help keep us strong.
Having earned their feverish applause, Taut Angles look ahead to an upcoming album release. What else? Based on tonight’s show, plenty more audiences to captivate, and more than a few returning to experience it all again.
Words: David Cuthbertson
