Gig Review: Black Mountain, Dead Meadow, Wolf Parade at Manchester Roadhouse, 26th November 2005

wolf paradeWolf Parade have been garnering rave reviews across the pond for their “Apologies To The Queen Mary” album and look set to be the Next Big Thing to break out from the increasing healthy Montreal music scene. So, I was surprised to find them bottom of the bill to Dead Meadow and Black Mountain at the Roadhouse last Saturday night. Or should I say afternoon. Due to the club night that the Roadhouse runs on a Saturday Wolf Parade were actually on stage by 6:30pm by which time barely 50 people had turned up to see if the hype is justified.

It was a short, energetic set and the band certainly made an impression on the few watching punters as they ran through a number of thrilling hi-octane pop tunes. Vocal duties were shared between the guy on keyboards and the guy on guitar; the one with the straight hair, not the other one with the huge wind chimes dangling from his mic stand. Another member standing stage right was in charge of bleeps and loops armed with a small mixing desk and synth, while the drummer, as is usual in this venue, was barely visible at the back of the tiny cramped stage. Unfortunately the sound mix was appalling and all these instruments which should have come together to produce something bordering on the epic were melted down into a one-dimensional sonic stew. Wolf Parade however overcame this obstacle to show glimpses of why they are so highly thought of in their homeland and why 2006 will undoubtedly be a momentous year for them. I look forward to seeing them then, headlining venues much larger than this.

black mountainDead Meadow are very different; a three piece from Washington DC playing spaced-out stoner rock. Think The Jimi Hendrix Experience playing Spacemen 3 covers. I liked them to begin with but there’s a fine line between being mesmerised and being bored; a line they eventually crossed. I was particularly impressed with their musicianship, however: these guys can play. The drummer and bassist layed down some pretty impenetrable rhythm tracks while the singer/guitarist did his singer/guitar thing over the top, a la Hendrix, but thankfully not as showy. The final two songs seemed to last an age so it was a relief when they finally finished.

Black Mountain have also received much praise this year for their debut self-titled album and reminded me of pre-Z My Morning Jacket, but nowhere near as good. I spent much of the set in a trance, unsure if a was hypnotised by their droney, southern rock or was just plain bored. At one point the keyboard player played a note so low and loud that it momentarily jolted the audience out of its reverie/slumber as we all feared that just one more notch on one of his dials would liquify our internal organs. It was a thrilling moment and the only definite thing about their set that I could remember after coming to around 9:00pm and heading back up the steps onto Newton Street and back to cilvilisation.

One Response to “Gig Review: Black Mountain, Dead Meadow, Wolf Parade at Manchester Roadhouse, 26th November 2005”

  • buy contextual links Says:

    Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a
    group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on.
    You have done a wonderful job!

Leave a Reply