Well this was a treat. After a flurry of gigs in May this was my first live music for the better part of three months. Since The Low Anthem last visited these shores I've fallen in love with both new albums "Smart Flesh" and 2009's "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin." This was a solo gig, as I'm short on friends who enjoy the alt-country end of the scale, but I was genuinely excited to see them live. The set was ostensibly split into two halves, though the band remained on stage throughout. The first part saw them crank up the volume and belt out some of their rockier numbers. Support band Maia had commented on the bewildering array of instruments on stage and hardly a song started without several band members swapping position to play something different. This wasn't showing off though, each change brought something new or interesting to the sound. "Home I'll Never Be," a Tom Waits tune based on words by Jack Kerouac, went down a storm and was followed by a slightly off-kilter version of my favourite song from the new LP "Boeing 737." "Ghost Woman Blues," "To Ohio" and "Burn" were all perfect before another Tom Waits cover (at least if I got my lyric search right) "Down There By The Train" brought the first set to a close. The second half saw the mighty moth machine fired up and suddenly things took a turn for the weirder. Using strobe lighting to create a zoetrope effect, the moth's flew round and round and the band played on. I didn't recognise the first song (snatched lyrics below if anyone wants to help me out) and this was followed by a brand new tune and the first of a few tracks sung by Jeff Prystowsky. "Matter of Time" and "This God Damn House" from 2007's "What The Crow Brings" raised the tempo a bit before Jeff was back on vocals for a run of three songs that seemed to form a little comedy interlude. A song about Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants was followed by one about love with an underage girl and another about the strange things you can buy in an Oriental Grocery. This was unexpected but engaging and three days on I've still got "Run Plankton Run" going round in my head. Ben was back on lead vocals as the set ended with the sumptuous "Charlie Darwin." Jocie finally got the chance to take lead on the first encore, again a tune I didn't know but assume to be from her solo work, before the whole band returned for a rousing version of "Love & Alter" from "Smart Flesh." This was a brilliant show that soared in places and amused in others. Knocking on for two hours but never flagging at any point. I'm sure this will finish pretty high in end of year top fives and The Low Anthem are firmly on my list of bands to see live whenever I can.
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Two Door Cinema Club
