Buzz bands, beatniks and a timetable that leaves you buggered – the action at Liverpool Sound City 2012 almost gets too much for Getintothis’ Will Fitzpatrick.
We’re in for the long haul tonight at Wolstenholme Creative Space, and Canadian quintet Slow Down Molasses get things underway with a couple of fairly drab post-rock explorations.
Kinda dreary, if we’re honest, but just as it looks as though all hope is lost, they burst into flame and unveil a strong knack for pace, power and pop songs. Rock Of Travolta-esque is the tag we’re gonna go for, so if you dig on Oxford scenester sounds from a decade or so ago, this band is definitely for you.
Kestrels live at Liverpool Sound City 2012
Kestrels are more up Getintothis‘ street. Manna from heaven for fans of Husker Du melodies and J Mascis solos, they blaze through a set of delicious indie slop, just about finding time to be charmingly polite inbetween servings.
Praising WSC as ‘the best space (they’ve) ever played in’, they leave us with blown ears, pounding hearts and the dumbest, goofiest grin this side of the Champions League final. Not bad for a fraggle band, all told.
PINS live at Liverpool Sound City 2012
You wouldn’t accuse PINS of such earnest slackerdom, of course. Their all-too-brief performance sends everyone with a camera running straight down to the front, and everyone else into scuzzy delirium.
Dark, mysterious and thrillingly intoxicating, they’re a buzz band with substance. That album’s gonna be something special.
PINS live at Wolstenholme Creative Space at Liverpool Sound City 2012
Be Forrest live at Liverpool Sound City 2012
If only the same could be said for Be Forrest. Their minimal, reverb-laden take on post-shoegaze pop isn’t without its charms, but you’d be a generous soul to call it fun.
Jazzhands live at Liverpool Sound City 2012
Realising we’ve buggered up the timetable, we leg it over to Screenadelica to catch the last five minutes of Jazzhands, only to find the orange-clad sextet whipping the room to a near-frenzy.
It all ends in a cacophony of saxophone honks and outrageous percussive clatter, and leaves us wishing we’d caught a bit more of it. GAH.
Pictures by Sakura Zilla.
