Live Review

Maybeshewill – The Garage, London

• 17th Oct 2014

Maybeshewill‘s new album is their greatest achievement, to date. Live, it translates as an epic masterpiece, whilst their performance tonight reminded us of just how spectacular these heavy weight post-rock champions really are.

First up in London’s Garage is Flood of Red. They are emotive and intense, switching seamlessly between sparkling verses and driving choruses. The sound is much more diverse and meaningful than when they first started out all those years ago. The lyrics ‘We’re already dead’ fill our eyes with emo tears – you’re not yet, lads, keep ’em coming.

&UandI‘s mix of spoken and screaming vocals makes for a brilliant set from these Birmingham bunch. With plenty of riffs and twangy melodies they give the hint that they would do wonders with a headline slot. This band rocked tonight from the ground up.

Finally, to Maybeshewill, who have always been phenomenal but tonight are something else. They kick the evening off with a barrage of tracks from their new album, Fair Youth. The texture and exuberance on display is awe inspiring. We are lead into a transient state by monumental melodies supported by an array of percussion and brass, each of which lulling us under their spell and pushing this band further into the realms of perfection.

Transfixed, the crowd show their enthusiasm by imitating riffs with their air guitars and imaginary drum kits – they don’t care if they look a little bit weird; they are in love, and we are too. Red Paper Lanterns has been a masterpiece for a long time, but tonight it flies around the venue and fills the space with a ‘magic awesomeness’. Taking post-rock to a new level and then blowing it up and thrashing it into pieces, Maybeshewill are without a doubt outstanding and at the top of their game. If we only had one choice of band to see this year, it would be this one – Fair Youth is an incredible album, but live, the sound is taken to a whole new level, one that is irresistible and very, very special.

The band finishes with ‘Not for Want of Trying’, which sees them explode into one last spectacular moment, before plunging the entire room into an instant state of depravity upon leaving the stage – tonight was special, what a band.

– Andrew Bayley

Venue: The Garage, London
Support Band: Flood of Red