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The Hydro, Glasgow
Next up on my musical journey through 2013 was a great 'double bill' at the recently opened Hydro in Glasgow's Finnieston area. I am not sure if this is a 'feature' of this venue but my first visit was to see the Proclaimers and their support was Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire and Glasvegas. Now supporting Vampire Weekend we have Noah and the Whale, who have four albums to their name already, so not a shabby support, eh!
One of the problems with this idea of having a 'named' support act is that many folk still only want to see the headlining band (despite current ticket prices!) and so as we took our seats at about 19:25 the place was only about 30% full. However, it was still a pretty good crowd as the venue holds 13,000 when 'packed to the rafters' so there were maybe about 2,000 folk there to enjoy NATW. One of the songs played over the in-house sound system prior to the band taking to the stage was Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra / 2001 Space Odyssey opening theme which seemed very fitting for this futuristic venue!
The current incarnation of this English band from Twickenham, London consists of Charlie Fink (vocals/guitar), Tom Hobden (violin/keyboards), Matt Owens (bass guitar), Fred Abbott (guitar/keyboards), and Michael Petulla (drums). Having formed in 2006 the band have evolved along the way and the loss of several former members including their erstwhile backing singer, one Laura Marling in 2008, hasn't effected them. On the night, and perhaps due to the space taken up by Vampire Weekend's equipment on stage, NATW seemed rather dwarfed, corralled together as they were in the middle! However, that didn't affect their performance which was solid and assured even if they did seem somewhat in awe of the fact that they were supporting "the best New York band of the day" as Charlie said at one point just before launching into a great version of Lou Reed's Satellite Of Love.
One thing I found rather odd was seeing people taking to their seats with hot dogs and pizza boxes. I know that this is a common sight in other countries around the world but here in Glasgow a pint of lager was all we used to need to sustain us through a gig! Modern venue, modern habits! Meanwhile up on stage Noah and the Whale were working their way through some of their back catalogue which included some fine versions of Waiting For My Time To Come, L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, 2 Atoms In A Molecule, Rocks And Daggers, Love Of An Orchestra and 5 Years Time. During this set Charlie's singing was strong and resonant whilst he swapped between acoustic and electric guitars and Fred Abbott variously played keyboards and electric guitar to great effect. In addition, Tom's violin playing was a real asset and I particularly liked his work on Love Of An Orchestra and 5 Years Time and all the while Matt and Michael provide a great solid foundation on drum and bass. The sound from where we were sitting was very good considering the size of the hall, however, due to the number of vacant seats I did feel slightly out of it, like a passer by looking in a window at a party going on inside! However, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of Noah and the Whale's performance which ended on a high note with some wonderful guitar and violin interplay on 5 Years Time which built to a memorable crescendo that put me in mind of the way Dawes work up some of their songs. Their 45 minute set was well received and the band set us up nicely for Vampire Weekend. Cheers lads.
During the break we had some interesting songs on the sound system including A Horse With No Name by America from way back in 1972. 41 years is no time at all in the world of music, or so it seems!
By 20:45 the hall was as full as it was going to be. We were told on our way in that the show was not a sell out which surprised and disappointed me as these two bands are up there with some of the best I have seen this year. No accounting for taste! However, by the time Vampire Weekend appeared at 20:50 I would guess that there were some 7-8,000 of us champing at the bit to see one of New York's current best bands. And so with a flourish and a major instant set change (ornately capped half doric columns, a baroque 'mirror' and 'Grecian urns' dropped from the heavens) Vampire Weekend ploughed into Diane Young the fourth song from their third album and a rollickin' number to kick start the set.
These four young lads started out with this band in 2006 and they are Ezra Koenig (lead singer / guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (guitar / keyboards / backing vocals), Chris Thomas (drums / percussion) and Chris Baio (bass / backing vocals). Their sound has been variously described as indie rock / Soweto rock / baroque pop and afrobeat, but however you define it, it is a thrilling sound and a pretty unique fusion of American rock and African rhythms. The guitar sounds are particularly set towards the guitar playing style of many bands I heard growing up in Dar-es-salaam in East Africa (which wonderfully gets a name check in Step!)
Talking of lyrics, Vampire Weekend's tend to be on the obscure side as the first verse of Step indicates:
Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl
Back back way back I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and walkman
I was a hoarder but girl that was back then.
There was an unexpected 'hick-up' as the band set off into Step, their sixth song of the night, when after about a minute Ezra stopped the band and explained that there had been a "false start" he then proceeded to correct the problem. During the short hiatus a small but enthusiastic group of fans in front of the stage started singing a line from the Glasvegas song Go Square Go (which seeing as they were on stage the last time I was in the Hydro seemed oddly appropriate!) the line went:
"Here we, here we, here we f**ing go (repeat!)" and the band realised that they were back in Glasgow again!
Ezra Koenig sang the lyrics with a great powerful delivery throughout although the words were sometimes difficult to make out but that didn't detract from the show as the voice is often another instrument in the mix! I particularly enjoyed his singing on Obvious Bicycle just before the encore. Rostam Batmanglij (who seemed to have donned a Saltire t shirt below his over shirt) played some wonderful keyboard especially on the Hammond organ on Unbelievers, there was some fine tinkling of the ivories on Horchata, superb soaring notes on Step and some outstanding organ on Boston (Ladies of Cambridge). Chris Thomas also added some pulsating, pounding drumming on the likes of Horchata and Diane Young and Chris Baio kept a tight reign on the bass lines with some notable work on the introduction to and throughout Campus. Oh, and neat dancing Chris, neat!
These guys have formed a cohesive, tight unit over their seven years together and clearly enjoy playing their uncommon blend of modern music. It was certainly a joy to watch and listen to. I say "watch" because the band had put a good deal of consideration into their stage set and light show. There was always a fascinating visual part to their songs, each one underpinned in some different way by the use of these extra elements. Indeed during Giving Up The Gun the light show took on psychedelic proportions and the overall effect was stunning. One minor quibble however, from where I was sitting (the first tier up off the floor in front of the 'posh boxes'!) the lights often shone straight into our eyes over the heads of the throbbing masses standing on the venue floor.
So after a thrilling, throbbing, thunderous, thoroughly enjoyable fifty five minutes the band left the stage. The usual stomping, clapping, whoopin' an a hollerin' stretched out for several minutes before the lads returned to play their encore, which incidentally, has been the same three songs for most of the current tour!
During Hannah Hunt Rostam switched from keyboards to guitar and then he swapped back again for One (Blake's Got A New Face) during which he played some playful ditties reminiscent of the old hit Popcorn made popular in 1972 by Hot Butter! At this point Ezra thanked us for coming out to see them, he also said that he has always liked his visits to our city. The band have particularly fond memories of playing in Nice n' Sleazy way back before they had released their eponymous album in 2008! Happy memories indeed.
Then Vampire Weekend launched into the final song of the night, the fabulous, roller coaster that is Walcott with its tantalising, tinkling piano notes and pumping, pounding drum beats. This has long been a favourite of mine and so it was a pleasure to hear it played live and it acted as a wonderful finale to a great gig. The audience went 'tonto', sang along, singing and dancing themselves into a greasy spot!
As the lights went up and we started to shuffle out of the Hydro with great music resonating around our brains we were assailed by the in-house sound system one last time. This time encouraging us to "start spreading the news" as New York New York played us out. A very appropriate choice indeed!
Cheers lads (that goes for Noah and the Whale too), a wonderful night out and haste ye back.
SET LIST:
Diane Young
White Sky
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Unbelievers
Holiday
False start!
Step
Horchata
Everlasting Arms
Cousins
California English
A-Punk
Boston (Ladies of Cambridge)
Ya Hey
Campus
Oxford Comma
Giving Up The Gun
Obvious Bicycle
Encore 22:00
Hannah Hunt
One (Blake's Got A New Face)
Walcott
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Saturday 16 November 2013
Vampire Weekend @ The Hydro, Glasgow. Friday 15 November, 2013
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