First words must be about the venue. Left Bank Leeds is a multi-disciplinary arts venue set in a Grade II listed former church now over 110 years old. Walking in really does have the wow factor with it’s archways, stonework, stained glass and subtle coloured lighting. A perfect setting for tonight’s gig.
Kristin Hersh is visiting Leeds as part of her ‘Live and Loud’ tour and has brought with her former Throwing Muses and Belly bass player Fred Abong and 50FT Wave drummer Rob Ahlers.
Fred Abong opens proceedings. Walking on stage he looks genuinely shy with a demeanour giving the impression he’s not quite sure how the audience will react. Last year Abong released the wonderful six track mini-album/ep ‘Homeless’. Full of mesmorising, repetitive guitar picking, gravelly vocals that could easily be mistaken for those of Mark Everett (Eels) and some killer lyrics that could be dealing with any of life’s ups and downs – relationships, identity, frustration. Just listen to ‘Homeless’ and you’ll get what I mean. Recent release ‘Pulsing’, another six track mini-album that’s played in full tonight, follows in the same vein as Homeless with the addition of some dark grungier moments of heavier bass, driving guitar noise and vocals delivered with more aggression. Standout moments include the hypnotic ‘Firefly’, the heavy drone of ‘Sum’, the distorted guitar drenched ‘Meet Me’ and ‘Homeless’ – a favourite from last time I saw Abong play live – that catches your attention immediately and forces you to listen. If you only know Fred Abong through his work with Throwing Muses and Belly then tonight provided a perfect insight into his songwriting talents as a solo artist. Great stuff.
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| Fred Abong |
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| Fred Abong |
The mere presence of Kristin Hersh on a stage is enough to cause those gathered to fall into a reverential silence. Tonight is no exception. There’s no loud cheers, no stamping of feet or raucous clapping of hands. Just the odd whoop, polite applause and quiet anticipation. Perhaps it’s because it’s a seated venue and this forces people to be more subdued, more polite. Nonetheless the atmosphere is charged. Kristin Hersh attracts very few casual observers. Rather anyone who goes to see her falls into the category of dedicated fan and here in Leeds she can do no wrong. ‘Live and Loud’ means just that as opening number ‘Lax’ from 2018 album ‘Possible Dust Clouds’ proves. Hersh’s guttural, rasping vocals backed by Abong’s pounding bass lines and Ahlers’ drums deliver an altogether different experience to seeing Hersh on her own with just her guitar.
‘No Shade In Shadow’, the lead single from Possible Dust Clouds is perfect with it’s hypnotic, repetitive, melodic, low fi distortion. ‘Possible Dust Clouds’ quite rightly features heavily – current single ‘Loud Mouth’, ‘Tulum’ and ‘Halfway Home’ – darker, heavier, denser than a lot of Hersh’s recent output. Songs that sit brilliantly in a live setting, especially one with a past such as this one. Aside from these Kristin Hersh delivers a set of songs spanning much of her back catalogue. ‘Mississippi Kite’, ‘Sand’ and ‘Crooked’ from the soon to be re-issued ‘Crooked’ album. A driving, sonic ‘Sunray Venus’ and ‘Limbo’ are the only Throwing Muses songs to feature. ‘Your Ghost’, with backing vocals from Rob Ahlers, always a crowd favourite and always an emotional moment, receives the appreciation it deserves.
Despite moving little Kristin Hersh is a dominating presence. She says little but what she does say is quick witted and often full of wry humour. A problem with the G string on her guitar is compared to a strippers underwear. Gentle smiles quickly change into devious grins and, once a song has started, there’s that hypnotic stare. Fixed on some point not just at the back of this church but at some point far, far away as her head sways side to side Hersh becomes a different person, lost in her own world, possibly the world where voices once provided the lyrics and the chords to her songs. Then, as soon as a song comes to completion, she’s back with us.
It's not all gutsy, sonically driven guitars and drums. Quieter, gentler but no less powerful moments come with Sky Motel’s ‘Husk’ and ‘The Thin Man’ from Learn To Sing like A Star, both showcases for the raw emotion Hersh displays so easily.
The set closes with traditional cover ‘The Cuckoo’ but it’s just a minute or so before they return and, after Abong and Ahlers swap instruments, belt out a thunderous 50Ft Wave’s ‘Broke’.
The evening wasn’t perfect. Having the crowd seated suits the single guitar, solo shows Kristin Hersh has done in the past. It’s not so good when things are ‘Live and Loud’ and need a crowd who can stand and move. The acoustics of the high church roof also mean that, through no fault of the band, the sound wasn’t perhaps as clear as it should have been. But for an audience who hang on every word she says, on every note she plays and on every lyric Kristin Hersh sings these were trivial matters.
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| Kristin Hersh |
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| Kristin Hersh |
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| Kristin Hersh |
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| Kristin Hersh |
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| Kristin Hersh |
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