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| Photo - Graham Talbot |
Perhaps
within the mass-stream of consciousness, the arrival of The War on Drugs (TWOD)
appears
something of a recent phenomenon. However, as the Philadelphian
outfit prove tonight at Nottingham’s Rock City, the extraordinary
success of their most recent album is nothing but a moment of clarity
in what has been a long search, both musically and personally, for
fulfilment.
Synonymous
with music anchored by a synergy of synthesized and more natural
sonics, there can often be a disorientation in the manner in which
textually rich music is translated in a live setting. So, having
submerged myself of late in their most recent album prior Lost
in Dream,
drenched in its emotive and atmospheric colouring, I was almost
nervous to witness whether or not TWOD would resonate through their
sold out Nottingham show. To my wide relief, I am not left
disappointed as for each soar, whir and growl of their most seminal
work to date, the band go further to expand the imagination of the
crowd in an intense and deeply satisfying performance.
Beginning
their set with Under
the Pressure (Lost
in Dream),
TWOD provide a well-rounded set list that also includes favourites
from both their debut album Wagonwheel
Blues,
and indeed their second release Slave
Ambient. A
particular highlight comes in the frenetic and expansive ‘Baby
Missiles’
which
consumes everything within the four walls of Rock City with its sheer
sonic breadth. With TWOD, nothing is left to chance and rarely is
there a moment in which a tactical toilet trip is afforded. Whilst
the material stretches a range of bases, the rich, immersive
soundscape that defines TWOD offers a consistency that breathes life
into the performances of singer Adam Granduciel and co. Moreover,
visually there is a simplicity that offers no pretence or
pyrotechnics. This, a refreshing approach that allows the music to
stand alone as the audience’s principal focus. This is certainly
true when watching Charlie Hall and David Hartley - bass and drums
respectively - who whilst boasting an impressively metronomic musical
relationship don’t negate on a sense of passion and engagement. In
a sense, TWOD form a marvelous equilibrium in which they effortlessly
glide through their set, defying all signs of ‘rockisms’, without
conveying a sense of apathy or ingenuity. Whilst they clearly have no
idea about what, who or where ‘Notting-ham’ is, there is a real
endearing sense that the band are appreciative of their surroundings.
The
progression of TWOD evident in that they appear to have added a touch
of the anthemic within their music. This, ultimately the factor that
has propelled them to recognition at the BRIT/Madonna awards -
irrelevant/amusing as that may well be - is a mark of the potential
reach that the band now has at its disposal. With songs such as ‘Red
Eyes’
there
are noticeable positive fluctuations in audience engagement, that
validates the longer, more experimental tracks within the live show
of TWOD. With the world now sitting up and taking notice of TWOD,
their three albums of critical success demonstrates that this is no
short-lived phenomenon. As Your
Love Is Calling My Name comes
to a close and the adoring crowd bids farewell to the somewhat shy
performers, I leave with a warming sense of normality within an
otherwise manic and psychotic music industry. Here is a band unafraid
to embrace the fundamental concepts of performance in its most pure
form, despite commercial and popular success.
