Midlake at The Tabernacle
Midlake
The Kissaway Trail
The Tabernacle, 28 January 2010
First of all, yes that is a man playing a recorder but hey, this is a Midlake show and flutes, recorders and acoustic guitars are the order of the day.I've seen Midlake a few times before, the first time in 2006 at the tiny 93 Feet East where all their vintage synthesisers and keyboards crowded the small stage and the members of the band barely had room to move. This time there were less keyboards, more band members and, thankfully, a bigger stage. I had never been to The Tabernacle before, to be honest, judging from the name, I thought it was going to be a backroom at some old pub but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Looking like a quaint old town hall on the outside and a trendy bar inside, the venue was actually a theatre on the first floor about the size of Camden Dingwalls with a similar layout.
I miss the first act Sarah Jaffe (a Texan singer-songwriter apparently) but arrive just in time to catch Danish indie rockers The Kissaway Trail. I had heard less than enthusiastic things about this young, trendy-looking five-piece but opening with an atmospheric, guitar drenched version of Neil Young's beautiful piano ballad Philadelphia, I immediately warmed to them. The rest of the set isn't quite as memorable as their wisely chosen opening number but they are much better than expected. Plus the guitarist had a tattoo of the cover of Sonic Youth's album Goo on his arm. I'm not a fan of tattoos I must admit but Sonic Youth is always the exception to the rule.
When Midlake finally arrive on stage they are even more beardy and long-haired than what I remembered. Singer Tim Smith looks particularly retro, in his jumper and cords he looks like a 70s art teacher, while the rest of the band is sporting the popular rootsy check-shirt and jeans look. I had heard the band had left the synths behind for a much more folky approach and the first few songs from the new album The Courage Of Others (which nicely was available to buy at the show despite not being out until next week) were gorgeous, warm acoustic numbers filled with building harmonies, that owe more to the likes of British folk legends like Fairport Convention than the sunshine-soaked melodies of Fleetwood Mac and Crosby, Stills & Nash that dominated their last album, The Trials Of Van Occupanther. With the band stretched to a seven-piece and all the acoustic guitars strumming, it certainly feels even more retro than before, not that I have a problem with that, but this time it definitely feels like stepping back in time to the early 1970s.
After Winter Dies and Acts Of Man (two of my favourites on the new record now I've heard it) they give a little gift to their "second home, London" by not making us wait to hear probably their best ever song, Roscoe, still one of the true highlights of their last record and arguably one of the best singles of the past decade. Not much for stage banter (the guitarist rather than singer Tim Smith even does the few introductions made), the band let the music do the talking drawing heavily on the new album. It sounds great but as the concert goes on I do find myself missing the mix of synths and guitars that inspired their previous albums. In fact their debut album, which had more modern influences such as Radiohead and The Flaming Lips, is ignored entirely.
A newly brunette Stephanie Dosen is brought on to contribute vocals to Bring Down, as she does on the album, the male-female harmonies adding depth and variety to the night but it's only when they return to older material that things really start to get good, with the pounding drums of Young Bride and the rousing encore of Head Home and Branches, where finally the electric guitars are allowed to let rip a little, Neil Young-style, and things really start to get good just as the concert closes sadly.
But this is only the start of the new tour and the band is playing this material for the first time, so while not as perfect as the shows I saw on the Van Occupanther tour I'm sure by the time Midlake come back and play in November these songs will have a life of their own and sound as good as I know they can sound. But an outstanding show nonetheless.
When Midlake finally arrive on stage they are even more beardy and long-haired than what I remembered. Singer Tim Smith looks particularly retro, in his jumper and cords he looks like a 70s art teacher, while the rest of the band is sporting the popular rootsy check-shirt and jeans look. I had heard the band had left the synths behind for a much more folky approach and the first few songs from the new album The Courage Of Others (which nicely was available to buy at the show despite not being out until next week) were gorgeous, warm acoustic numbers filled with building harmonies, that owe more to the likes of British folk legends like Fairport Convention than the sunshine-soaked melodies of Fleetwood Mac and Crosby, Stills & Nash that dominated their last album, The Trials Of Van Occupanther. With the band stretched to a seven-piece and all the acoustic guitars strumming, it certainly feels even more retro than before, not that I have a problem with that, but this time it definitely feels like stepping back in time to the early 1970s.
A newly brunette Stephanie Dosen is brought on to contribute vocals to Bring Down, as she does on the album, the male-female harmonies adding depth and variety to the night but it's only when they return to older material that things really start to get good, with the pounding drums of Young Bride and the rousing encore of Head Home and Branches, where finally the electric guitars are allowed to let rip a little, Neil Young-style, and things really start to get good just as the concert closes sadly.
But this is only the start of the new tour and the band is playing this material for the first time, so while not as perfect as the shows I saw on the Van Occupanther tour I'm sure by the time Midlake come back and play in November these songs will have a life of their own and sound as good as I know they can sound. But an outstanding show nonetheless.
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