Review: British Sea Power & Race Horses
It’s Monday night and after a wet and windy weekend D-of-E-ing in the Beacons and a busy day at the LGBT History Month Conference in City Hall, I am well up for an early night with some sort of herbal infusion - we’ve run out of green tea - some of Adele's new album and maybe some scented candles to aid relaxation.
However, having requested my presence on the press list for the British Sea Power / Race Horses gig some weeks ago, I must ditch my blanket forthwith and don my show-going attire - nothing to warrant detailing - before successfully negotiating a lift off my dad. Into town we trundle where a noisy, busy room of people is the last thing I want to enter with my unsociable cold and banging headache.
But head toward Clwb Ifor Bach, the venue of said gig, I did and upon arrival struck up conversation with some aficionados of British Sea Power and as we waited in the chill for the doors to open, my appetite was gradually whetted for the following hours of live music. I forgot my impending coursework deadlines and snotty nose and remembered how much I enjoyed BSP’s records and how their support, Race Horses, were perhaps my favourite newcomers of 2010. Quite suddenly and unexpectedly I became rather excited; I was in the company of fellow music lovers in perhaps the dingiest yet loveable of Cardiff venues and had some high quality live entertainment to look forward to. And it was a Monday!
The opening act, Hail! The Planes, are a local “four piece post-folk band" and their gorgeous violin led music was well received as the room began to fill. Their recent EPs were being sold in the corner and had been individually put together and hand stamped by the band themselves - indeed their ‘cottage-by-the-sea’ style has this cosy, home-made feel that is not only reassuring but really beautiful. They lacked a real stand out tune, although Tree Creeper and Brother, I’m Sinking were two of note that I have subsequently enjoyed on their website. The former can be downloaded for free here.
Next came Race Horses, whose 2010 debut Goodbye Falkenburg was mischievous, wild and brilliantly Welsh. Lead singer Meilyr Jones, truly magical with his Beatles-esque bowl cut and purple pyjama bottoms, has such magnetic charisma, which indeed drew in many from the bar. Their equally breezy, rocky and electronic musings were played out with infectious energy, great wit and some synthesizer-like things I haven’t seen before. They were fast paced and full on and despite Jones’ interesting use of his microphone, which he kept knocking onto the floor, lost none of their technical ability. His erratic movements reflect the playfulness and unhinged nature of their music and it was thrilling to see a band with such natural stage presence and instant ‘oomph’, for want of a thesaurus. The singles Cake, Pony and Man In My Mind got us dancing and the marvellous Grangetown 02920, where the Cardiff calling code is repeated over a haze of confused guitar, went down a treat. Give it an album or two and these gems of the Welsh music scene will be selling out their own gigs - I would have happily rocked out to them drwy’r nos, as they might say in their native Cymraeg, and I recommend highly.
After such joyous support, British Sea Power strolled into a packed and buzzin’ Clwb to a surge of applause, at about 9 o'clock. Their bespoke collection of merchandise, ranging from Sea Power themed fudge to tote bags and mugs was truly outstanding and a sign of things to come. Although their usual on stage shrubbery was not present a certain audience member held high a leafed-branch in homage to said tradition, which was lovely, if not slightly off-putting as it was waved repeatedly in front of my face for the opening five minutes.
Fitting perfectly into the intimate venue, the Brighton-based crew played out a stunning, absorbing array of tunes from their back catalogue of five albums and were on excellent form according to some keen followers, who I promptly drifted away from as my mosh-pitting tendencies got the better of me. Albeit a rather tame, friendly pit, the band really nailed their set and their stunning musicanship as a tight knit unit was completely overpowering. New tunes Who’s In Control, Luna and We Are Sound were fantastic live, my firm favourites Remember Me and Waving Flags equally so. The combination of in-your-face rifts and slowly building harmonies, as on record, were delightful and if it weren’t for their lack of a really catchy hit, BSP would get far more airplay. Their gritty indie music, is however, very well appreciated by a good following and some bands are better left half under the radar as to keep their originality, which BSP are brimming with.
I returned home completely energised and ready to tackle my week - having enjoyed Hail!, been thoroughly chuffed with Race Horses and blown away by BSP I still had a sniffle but everything seemed manageable again. And for me, that escapism that quality live music offers is second to nothing - despite the sweat, sore voice and aching calves that the evening promoted, I am still living off the buzz of Monday and haven’t sneezed all week. The only regret I have is my lack of dollar or else I’d have gotten a jar of the British Sea Power Brilliantine they were flogging - my hair has surely missed out!
Organisations Cardiff Duke of Edinburgh's Award