Archive
Sound Control Manchester
18 April 2013
This was my
first visit to Sound Control and the first time I had witnessed Archive
live. Ironically, it was also their
first visit to Sound Control and the first time they had seen me. I suspect I was the one that was more
impressed.
From the
outside, Sound Control looks rough. A
lone door in a plain wall down a dark looking New Wakefield Street. In reality it’s slap bang in the middle of M1
postcode and is surrounded by loads of nice looking (and smelling) cafés,
restaurants and bars, and, a stones throw away from The Ritz and Palace
Theatre.
Through the
door and down a handful of steps is a cosy little bar area with, at the end,
one of the most impressive Gents Toilets I have ever seen. Black floor with sparkles, black ‘brick
effect’ tiled walls from floor to ceiling and red columns and pipework. I visited twice I was so impressed.
The Archive
gig was upstairs, the wooden floorboards being the stickiest I have ever
encountered – standing still for five minutes meaning a temporarily enforced
standing still whilst you peeled your feet away. The room was small but airy, and they served
Guinness. I was happy.
The small
stage, I suspect, is the reason for no support act, presumably dismantling one
set of equipment and re-setting another would be difficult in such a confined
space/timescale. Kicking off with
‘Finding It So Hard’ from the album ‘You All Look The Same To Me’, the power is
immense, pounding loudly but with the notes clearly defined. There is very little time for breath as they
steam through ’Wiped Out’, ‘System’ and ‘Hatchett’ with seemingly no break
between tracks.
For 18
years, Archive have never entered my radar, and it was only with last years phenomenal
‘With Us Until You’re Dead’ album that I became aware of them. Their songs are superbly crafted, many
starting slowly and sparsely, and, gradually growing into mammoth walls of
sound. Three vocalists, all individual,
all very talented add to the mix, particularly Holly Martin whose beautiful
tones perfectly compliment the superb musicianship. If I had one complaint early on, it was that
the vocals weren’t quite loud enough, but, come ‘Conflict’ and the superb
‘Violently’ my minor fault was more than rectified.
Blending
trip-hop with electronic and post/prog rock, the live sound of Archive is much
meatier than the recorded sound. Roaring
drum sounds with throbbing basslines, synth effects and screeching guitars,
sweat poured and bodies convulsed on stage.
‘Fuck U’ and
the closing ‘Bullets’ had an already effervescent audience bouncing on the
sticky floor and punching the air for more.
More they got, with a three song encore finishing on ‘Dangervisit’ and a
claim of “We’ve never been to Manchester before, but we’ll be back”.
I’ll be
there too!
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