My first impressions of Dundee’s Dexters Bar is a dark but anything but dingy venue, incorporating impeccable sound with a well light & laid out stage; tonight hosting an eclectic bill full of promise – put together by Something Going On & Manic Pop Thrills presents.
The Strangers Almanac kick off proceedings with a nuanced and understated performance of twee-pop compositions; consisting of Gord Matheson on delicate vocal delivery (reminiscent of fellow Dundonian stalwart Esperi) & acoustic guitar, aided & abetted by associate Avril on a host of rich tonal instruments(comprising of Mandolin; Viola, Accordion etc.) not to mention backing vocals, all of which adds texture and atmospheric elements to their endearing performance. There’s more than a touch of Ballboy influence in their M.O. which is imbued with a typically Scottish undercurrent of humour, typified on ‘People Don’t Go To Nightclubs (till After Midnight)’ – which captures a particular, peculiar observational nod and fleshes it out into fully fledged lament to quiet, come dead-end nights, in less than salubrious surroundings, tapping into a rich heritage, which romanticises the mundane but maintains a wry sense of humour throughout.
Next in-line for the expectant audience, the long awaited return of former De Rosa front-man Martin John Henry, who over the past few months has collated an impressive array of familiar musicians to bring his debut album (the predominantly solo performed The Other Half of Everything) to life on a live-platform; bringing in former band-mate Chris Connick on bass, Reindeer from the much missed Mitchell Museum on rhythmic/percussive duties, and Paul Mellon (F.O. Machete) completing the line-up on guitar.
The crowd instantly warm to the newly aired material which is in turn equally well received by Martin & Co. Opening number ‘First Light’ sets the tone, utilizing well-crafted song-writing augmented by taught rhythms, weaved amongst intricate guitar motifs and loud fuzzy guitar tones – ‘Ribbon on a Bough’ takes a slightly different approach with its irresistible upbeat anthemic feel (kudos to Martin’s multitasking dexterity, playing guitar and synth left-handed, eliciting a cheeky accomplished smile) – with one foot firmly in the pop camp it’s sure to set toes tapping; set closer ‘There’s a Phantom Hiding In My Loft’ is probably the pinnacle, a dark brooding song, employing post-rock dynamics and lyrical intrigue – overall their set leaves us with a delectable taste of what to expect from their forthcoming release.
Man Without Machines are a Dundee 5-piece encompassing a pacey electro-pop sound, drawing heavily on 80s new-wave influences and sharing a similar odd & sods eclectic vibe with Mitchell Museum and even shades of mid 00s Welsh waifs The Automatic (although without the over-eager quirkiness). Replete with synths and sequencers but with the a full-throttle rock dynamic, their heavy-bass rumble and insistent groove drives forward their short & sharp tunes with a sparky performance to match, maintaining a relentless rapid rhythm, throughout their enjoyable set.
FOUND can be an unpredictable entity in terms of their live approach to performance, waxing and waning between obscure electronic noodling & folktronica indie fusion – tonight’s performance (their debut Dundee gig) sees them on sterling and startling form; having scaled down to a three piece in recent years, they ably make such a big and vibrant sound that truly belies their sparse personnel; Ziggy takes the lead with his distinctive raspy and sonorous vocals and quirky, idiosyncratic writing & compositions style – all driven forward by processed beats and digitised synth, bleeps & glitches; cleverly sewn together by some impeccably steady and engaging bass-lines.
Tonight’s set features heavy rotation of the bands first Chemikal Underground offering factorycraft – save for a surprising Cate le Bon cover (who recently graced the shores of Anstruther for Homegame) and a heckling history lesson; with Dundee having the dubious honour of being home of the first-noted heckle (although tonight’s timid offerings were no doubt sub-par by comparison) – set-highlights include ‘You’re No Vincent Gallo’ which tells the tale of a girl obsessed with the art-house icon, leaving our poor protagonist’s efforts wanting, in light of the impossible perceived shadow he subsists in. ‘Johnny, I Can’t Walk The Line’ which dynamically and stylistically see-saws throughout, providing a fair distillation of FOUND’s oeuvre. ‘Let Fidelity Break’ changes pace again with interweaving house-beats in a Hot-Chip type fashion which could easily fill the empty dance-floor’s which The Strangers Almanac allude to.
FOUND must be enjoying the set as much as tonight’s crowd, as we’re greeted to an impromptu encore in the shape of ‘Lowlandless’ which goes down a storm, sealing the deal in the eyes of the Dundee audience. All in all, a resounding success for all concerned parties, as the venue; promoters, bands and audience synergistically coalesce, having each partaken in a memorable gig.
(Photos: Michael Lambert – www.michaellambert.co.uk)
More images at the Manicpopthrills flickr site
- The Twilight Sad / People, Places, Maps / Astrid & Quinn - 15 February 2012
- Little Kicks - 28 November 2011
- Found / Martin John Henry / Man Without Machine / The Strangers Almanac - 2 October 2011