CHVRCHES/ SOAK-
The Junction,
Cambridge 12/3/14
When the plus one and I enter the gig this evening,
it appears that we have missed support act, Soak. The sound is busy
chatter, so loudly that not much else can be heard over what we thought
was a softly played backing CD. In fact, the Cambridge crowd are just
being rude, because there, centre stage, stands a meek and apparently
bemused seventeen-year-old girl, clutching her guitar and probably
willing most of the people there to shut up for just a few minutes
and take an interest in her. At least that’s what it looks like
from where I’m standing. More fool them because, having heard
Soak on record when doing a bit of pre-show research, this rather
asexual angel is more than deserving of attention. Signed to Chvrches
label, ‘Goodbye Records’, this Irish storyteller’s
brand of alternative folk is as strong as it is gentle; new single
‘Blud’ a love letter to friends, almost elfin in style for
its mystical quality. Soak will no doubt get a better reception when
she headlines at Old St Pancras church next month. Shame. Check her
out.
Of course, Chvrches don’t have the same problem. Having risen
to the public eye seemingly overnight, they have actually been performing
together in their native Scotland since 2011 so it’s little surprise
that they are a well-oiled and well-rehearsed unit that, even if you
did want to have a little chat over their set, you wouldn’t stand
a chance. As a burst of strobes mark the trio’s arrival, thick
electronic beats fill the space between band and audience as ‘We
sink’ drowns out the rapturous applause. Although really little
more than another band on the 80’s revival that seems to happen
year-on-year, this statement is not to ignore the talent each member
brings to the table too. Singer Lauren Mayberry’s vocals are
flawless and pure, weaving around the heavy synths and carving a delicate
contrast between herself and the hairy boys she shares a stage with;
between herself and the sensory onslaught she shares a stage with.
Theirs is a classic sound of intense energy, Hit Factory handclaps
(and baseball caps) updated with far cleverer lyricry and soul-bending
melodies, a nice lilting aura in singles ‘The mother we share’
and the simply awesome ‘Gun’, to name a few. But it isn’t
until a frenzied take on ‘Under the tide’ that I am really
impressed, as Martin Doherty (one of the hairy boys) creeps out from
behind his electronic ‘work desk’ to jump around wildly
and emphatically, encouraging a euphoria that suggests that Chvrches
are not only capable of cool, laidback electronica but also massive
dance anthems. However, it’s not quite enough to get the whole
crowd moving (much to the dismay of some kids trying to get people
moving at the front), a group, who are, incidentally, shot down by
Mayberry herself for having a lack of mutual respect for their fellow
gig goers- the only time that she talked between songs where I actually
understood what she was saying- polite/nervous titters all round.
That said, the grey haired lady in front of us has a little bop, though
the girl next to us still doesn’t take her eyes off her phone.
Finishing on a blend of old-fashioned musicianship, which saw the
hairy boys ditch the electronics for guitars during the very dramatic-
and curiously the very slow- encore that was ‘Caught the light’,
it is clear that where Chvrches stand out in a sea of similar artists
is that they bring the pulse; a pulse that is a little louder than
the rest because they are amongst few bands of their ilk that give
their collective audience a pulse, a pulse so loud it’s never
a bad thing to remind yourself you’re alive. Catch them at a
multitude of festivals this summer before you flatline. Arf.
Anna C
http://chvrch.es
http://www.soakmusic.net/
