CHVRCHES

I consider myself a Chvrches fan, so was very excited about this gig in advance. The concert was at The Bournemouth O2 Academy. The queues stretched for what seemed like miles, but they got us in quickly. A mix of age groups in attendance, but mostly younger people. Good to know synth-pop can still have a young following.

Firstly the support act, Let's Eat Grandma. I hadn't heard of them prior to the gig and from the name I thought they might be thrash metal, however I was very pleasantly surprised when three girls came onto the stage playing (dark) synth-pop. One on drums, and the other two played synths and sang. Also we were treated to glockenspiel, saxophone and recorder amongst others. After the gig I downloaded their album which is now playing in my car.
They played for about 45 minutes. The highlights for me were Whitewater, Hot Pink and Falling Into Me. Unfortunately I missed an opportunity to meet the band as I had a great place near the front and didn't want to lose the top spot watching Lauren Mayberry!

Now Chvrches entered the stage after a break. Lauren's high pitched squeak, endeared me to her even more as she introduced songs and pleased us with general chit chat.
They opened with Get Out, recent big chart hit, and infectious anthem. Straight into Bury It, which I am now used to with the Hayley Williams (Paramore) vocal, so I noticed when it was lacking. It didn't detract from the enjoyment one bit though.
Gun came next, a classic, then (in my opinion) their best song We Sink from the first album The Bones of What You Believe. So euphoric, that it has perked me up on many a bad day.
Another recent hit Graffiti came next, then Graves, a gem from the new album Love Is Dead, this could have been a single. After that I had hoped to hear Heaven/Hell, but unfortunately it was absent from the set list. Shame. They can't do them all I suppose!

Martin Doherty was up on main vocals for the next two songs. God's Plan and Under The Tide. I've always really liked his songs. Martin displayed a lot of energy and on his own was great, but get back behind that keyboard boy now, here she comes again.

Lauren came back with Miracle and then Science/Visions. As we reached the end, hand went up like we were all at a rave, in fitting with the edgy feel of this track.

Really Gone, Deliverance, Forever and Recover came next. Lauren announced the last two songs, Leave a Trace and Clearest Blue. It was so great to hear Clearest Blue live, so infectious and a defining song for everything Chvrches, a fun electro-stomper which namecheck the second album (Every Open Eye).

Of course there was an encore. Obviously they performed The Mother We Share, this was followed by the final song New Say Die. A great ending to a fantastic gig.

In general the sound was great, but occasionally the vocal dipped below and it was harder to hear Lauren. It was loud, but then I was right at the front.
The songs were pretty much in versions close to their released format, though the encore version of The Mother We Share started with some atmospheric pads before the "Oh ah oh oh ah ah" we all know and love.

I had hoped for a cover version, but actually their own songs are so great, it would have meant missing one out, so better that they didn't. I will be at the next UK tour 1000%! 9/10

For a 3-piece from Glasgow, CHVRCHES pack an incredible punch live and they have a warmth that many other bands can only dream of. Lauren Mayberry is, on the face of it, a very unassuming front woman but, as their live show kicks in, you’re transfixed. She has an air of cool and ease about everything she does and her inbetween-songs banter is funny and lighthearted; the kind of conversation you have with your closest friends.

Irrespective of the venue size (I’ve seen them in art schools in the Netherlands through to theatres in London and at outdoor festivals too), they always make a show seem intimate and their songs take you on a journey. From the punchiness of tracks like Lies and We Sink, through to the subtlety of Tether, they hit all the markers for a great live act.

When Martin Doherty steps out from Keyboard duties to perform Under The Tide that you see a dancier side to their show – and the crowd reacts as if they’ve been transported to the best rave of their life! Their simple lighting rig (with an LED recreation of the cover to their album, The Bones of What You Believe, as a backdrop) helps to accentuate the stripped-back set-up and allows their songs to really take centre stage.

Whatever you do though, don't go with expectations of them to play a lot of the cover versions that they've performed on radio shows. It's 100% about CHVRCHES. And rightfully so. I can never bore of watching them live – and that comes from someone who has seen them 13 times (so far)!

It was after midnight at a post ACL show in Austin where CHVRCHES lit up a room full of half asleep concert goers and put on an amazing show. Seeing as most people in the venue had either attended Austin City Limits that day or were exhausted from a long week of work, it didn't seem like it would be the most lively crowd. However, when the light show started and the music began, the whole room was alive. CHVRCHES woke us up like we had all injected a few cups of coffee straight into our bloodstreams.
The overall presentation of the show was top notch. The CHVRCHES logo design lit up in the back of the stage to open up the show and changed colors to match the mood of the music. Flashing lights matched the beat of the music and painted the crowd with neon colors. The whole band was energetic and put on a great show. You could tell they love what they do and love the music they make.
In terms of the music, it sounded almost indistinguishable from their recorded album, if not better. CHVRCHES played to perfection and Lauren's voice was spot on throughout the whole show. The energy they brought through the music and their stage presence projected onto the crowd and got everybody moving. They also had some banter between themselves and the crowd to really add a personal touch to the show. This one show proved to me that CHVRCHES know how to put on a great show and make memories. If any CHVRCHES shows pop up around me I'll be sure to do everything I can to attend, and I suggest you do as well.

Come for the music, stay for the Scottish charm.
This was my third time seeing CHVRCHES and it's been great to see them mature and become more and more comfortable in their own skin. The songs are amazing and translate perfectly live. Watching Iain stroke a guitar or drum up a beat while Martin does his hypnotizing beeps and blorps would be enough for even the most casual concert-goer. Add spritely Lauren to the mix and you have a very engaging, entertaining show.
Lauren's off-the-cuff commentary and sense of humor make the shows more relaxed and approachable. We in the Midwest don't get many Scottish acts, so when we hear that charming accent it's hard not to smile and want to run up and give her a big hug.
The show itself is amazing start to finish. The light show has gotten better and better and compliments the music perfectly. Sharing singing duties between Lauren and Martin helps please all members of the audience while giving a nicely shifting dynamic to the show. Now, this being my third time seeing them in a little over a year may speak for itself. Their EP and album are amazing and their live show doesn't disappoint; it's a great compliment to this super talented, up-and-coming Scottish act.

Chvrches has been my favorite band ever since they first started. I have wanted to see them live for years but never could because I couldn't afford it or we just didn't have time. What I know of, they don't come to America often, because they live in Scotland. Well once I figured out they were coming, I traded my piggy bank money for these tickets. Let me tell you, that must've been one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Everyone in the audience was nice and cheerful and they didn't mind if you went all the way to the front. Well, as always, I cut to the front so I could be closer to my idols. I got some axmazing photos. Lauren is always super nice and funny, and her voice was OUTSTANDING. A lot of artist don't sound good live but Lauren Mayberry has an outstanding voice, ever since Boyfriend/Girlfriend and Blue Sky Archives. Ian and Martin did an amazing job with the sound, they didn't mess up once! I went to a concert one time and the band kept messing up with the guitars and drums. The lights and fog made the show look incredible! Lauren, Ian, and Martin DEFINATTLY know how to put on a good show. 100/100 for them! It's definitely a show I will NEVER forget!

Let me say first and foremost, Chvrches is the best. Best on record, best on stage. Their sound and stage presence is unequalled.

That said, how on earth do you match up Chvrches tour de force energy and massive sound and lights, with the cavernous compacted Wiltern? It was not a good match. I've seen Chvrches many times live, and they are built to play unrestricted venues. No stage or arena is too large for them. The result was the sound reverberated in all directions, too loud, too contained, with an overtly dizzying affect from the light show spectacular, but not the good kind of dizzy.

Chrvches = Wiltern.... not a good match.

Again, Chvrches is the best live show I've seen at different venues. They are truely standup for playing a benefit show for great causes. Cannot wait to see them live in 2020. My dream would be to see them play an acoustic show at a small club. But please, think about matching the sound to the surroundings.

Not my first CHVRCHES show, but the best! The entire band was in really fantastic form, and Lauren's voice was both powerful and flawless-- and her constant being sure to cover the entire stage ensures that even the people on the very edge of the crowd feel like they're in the front row. As ever, they brought a ton of energy and enthusiasm to the stage, as well as fun. Lauren, who often fills the little breaks between songs with non sequiturs, drew attention to a group of people dressed in rather strange animal costumes, and Iain suggested that they should include them in the show somehow. Martin jumped on the idea, and Lauren told them to make their way to the side of the stage. Several songs later the creatures came out dancing, at which point Lauren struggled to sing at all through laughter. She apologized to the crowd afterwards, "I just see you dancing over here and I wonder, is this how I die?" I really fantastic, fun show!

Amazing concert!! The music was pretty much perfect, not a single mistake by any of the band members! It sounded just like the studio version, except it was a concert of course, making the experience soo much better.
The band was so energetic the entire concert through and emphasized the atmosphere of every song perfectly, especially Lauren.
There was also an amazing lightshow where there were panels in the background which showed some of the album art as well as some well made animations related to the songs that were playing.
In addition, Laurens talks between the songs really made for some funny moments.
Would definitely recommend seeing them live, it's an awesome experience!

The best concert of my life. Lauren, Martin and Iain hold nothing back and were at least as excited as the sold out venue. This is one of the best bands to see live, because even if they don't have the frenzy factor that a live drummer always brings along, they are some of the most committed, professional and down to earth bands. Lauren is the perfect frontperson, perfect voice, silly and fun interaction with the crowd and ALWAYS moving up & down the stage. But oh man, when Martin sings, it's time to get fucking TURNT, SON! Martin's Under The Tide is one of the natural phenomenoms everyone has to see once in their lifetime.
10/10 would die for them

Saw them in April 2016 at Brooklyn Bowl in Vegas and enjoyed the show a great deal. The band are tight and musically adept live - Lauren Mayberry's voice is particularly strong - and their set nicely mixed new and old material. But what stood out is their charming and deeply engaging stage presence. You can see why their touring and festival appearances continue to win them fans. Mayberry turns out to be a sharp, confident, and wonderfully self-deprecating storyteller between tunes. A fun evening of well-crafted electronic pop tunes, delivered by a band you sense it would be rewarding to have a beer, chat and laugh with after the gig. Recommended.