Live Reviews To witness such an array of extraordinary sounds was mind blowing; it was hard to tell whether I was at an indie gig or an underground rave. The best word I can use to describe the atmosphere in The Wardrobe was ‘buzzing’; there wasn’t one still body in the room. It was also interesting to see the mixture of people at the gig, proving that Submotion’s music reaches a wide audience. The voice of singer Ruby could easily rank high amongst some of the greatest dance music singers of our time: similar to Katy B, but with much more depth. This voice is complimented so perfectly by the unique dub-stepmeets-jazz sound created by the other multi-talented members of the band. All hailing from various different musical backgrounds, each member brings they own flavour to the exceptional Submotion Orchestra. Their new single It’s Not Me, It’s You is definitely one to add to your iPod. Stacie Lloyd Extra Curricular @ Hifi, Leeds It’s the start of the night; we’re all thinking about dancing, but no one is at that level where alcohol has replaced inhibition so we’re all awkwardly shuffling at the front of the stage. The hardcore fans might take it up a gear to a tentative two step in preparation for the band but the whole room is self consciously holding onto their drinks, savouring every sip, because otherwise we’re going to have to think about what to do with BOTH arms. However as soon as Extra Curricular take to the stage, drinks are thrown back, clothes are coming off and everyone, and I truly mean everyone, gets down. Strangers are dancing with strangers and everyone has forgotten whether their hair looks alright or if that guy from Friday is here yet. Soon enough the whole room
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It’s not just the music Extra Curricular creates - it’s the atmosphere. The set was perhaps a little too short (they could have played all night and it wouldn’t have been enough) but it did leave everyone wanting (and chanting) for more. Hana Walker-Brown Arthur Rigby & The Baskervylles/Hunting Bears @ Nation of Shopkeepers, Leeds Openers Hunting Bears have a lush, full sound which is impressive for a four piece and owes much to the double bass/violin combo. Battling hard against Shopkeepers’ punk-friendly acoustics, there’s a buzz of chatter that’s never quite quashed until gorgeous closer ‘Only in My Skin’, a tender 4-part harmony country chorale, leaves the majority’s collective jaw hanging. Personal favourite ‘Heavy Tree’ also packs a bit of a punch once it gets going but this gentle band could do with perfecting their crowd handling.
Image by Gary Wolstenholme
Entering a packed out venue was my first indication of Submotion’s popularity. For the first half of the set I couldn’t even see the stage. Perhaps this was a positive thing though, as I could make my judgments based solely on what I was hearing.
is sweating, the kind of sweat that no one is going to judge you for, the kind of sweat that makes passersby on the street jealous because you‘ve had a better time than they have.
Arthur Rigby & The Baskervylles are next up with a massive pop sound and a booming baritone vocal delivery: I can’t help but feel like I’m being sung to by a 1920s aviator. That said, it’s the creative, vibrant brass arrangements that make this really special: fanfares, chorales and the occasional sweeping flute line have a pastoral charm and give the whole sound a massive mid-range boost. One particularly effective song has the rhythm section pounding out a low groove that showcases this band’s ear for the overall package. If I am to gripe, all the most energetic and best written songs seem to come at the start and I couldn’t help but feel like the performance seemed to settle down a bit too much. Also, the drummer’s sense of timing is liberal at best but to his credit I think it added a bit of extra energy to proceedings. These are very minor criticisms though as Arthur Rigby... are one of the most inventive bands I’ve seen in a long time. In a word: sterling. Tim Hearson
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on their name but it turned out my predictions couldn’t have been further from the truth. They weren’t quite the orchestra I was expecting.
11/04/2012 22:25