The return of My Bloody Valentine was one of the things I was looking forward to and dreading with equal measure. MBV were one of those bands for whom the word seminal is often used, and suddenly after 16 years away, Kevin Shields and co decided that 'Loveless' was not meant to be their last album, so they needed to get back together. The new album is still a way off, but the band decided first to get back on the road.
This was the 4th night of a 5 night stint at the Roundhouse, and by Monday reports were already going around aboout just how loud MBV were - and still are. Giving out earplugs to your audience? Not very rock 'n' roll.
So were they loud? Of course they were, but it wasn't half as bad as some people would have had you believe- maybe all those maiden, scorpions, priest gigs in my youth had accustomed me to all this. Anyway, yes loud, noisey, and ... very good, but still just missing something.
If you eschew the earplugs you could hear the music, and you could see Kevin and Bilinda standing at their mics with their mouths opening ... not having any idea if any sound was coming out. Stick in the earplugs, and - as they should they filter out the top end and bottom end frequencies 'cleaning up the sound'. Yes, they are singing, but still not in anyway that you could really say was audible above the music.
This to me is the thing that lets the gig doown for me and stopped my connecting with it in a way i hoped. It is true thaq even on the albums the vocals are not exactly crystal clear, and low in the mix but they are STILL there and add the mellody that help the tunes form into the mini masterpieces many of the songs are.
So, all doom and gloom? No. Like I say, if you pretended they were an instrumental band, then it was pretty good. Very tight, spot on rendidtions of some great tunes. It was great to hear my personal favourite track, When You Sleep performed live (second track of the night). Also whilst most people would not believe it, the 15 mins of playing the same chord in You Made Me Realise is actually quite effective and musical.
I loved it, I was frustrated by it, but I didn't feel it. Sorry guys I need to hear the vocals.
1 comment:
It was quite an experience. I went from Porto to London specially to see them. One of my best gigs ever, even though my ears
were bleeding. But I guess that's the origin of their name. Cheers!
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