The Lucid Dream, Strange Collective, Pale Rider: Shipping Forecast, Liverpool

Lucid Dream

Despite having their gear stolen in Paris in March, Lucid Dream were back in Liverpool sounding as good as ever, Getintothis’ Brian Sayle was there to see their return.

Cumbria’s Lucid Dream opened their set with Mona Lisa, the first track on their second LP and what a way to get things going. Having played in Liverpool a lot over the years, including more then once at Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, they have quite a strong following around these parts; they even recorded their third album Compulsion Songs in Liverpool’s Whitewood Studios.

Lead guitarist and vocalist Mark Emmerson changed his guitar a few times during the set. This may not seem unusual, but for Lucid Dream, this was good to see as, a while ago while playing in Paris, their van got broken into and all the bands equipment was stolen, including some pieces the individual members had owned since school days.

With some well deserved help from crowd funding it is great to find they are set up again and are back out and about playing live. Cant help but feel inspired by a group which has had to deal with such a terrible situation but has come through the other side sounding as good as ever. This was fine work from the band.

This weekend Lucid Dream play the Deaf Institute in Manchester, before heading over to Holland. Let’s hope they come back to Liverpool again soon.

KLF: Why Liverpool?

Pale Rider got things going. These guys got together last year and have only played a few shows, but already they seem to have quite a few fans in their home town of Liverpool.

When Getintothis arrived the venue was already busy and while The Hold at the Shipping Forecast might not be the biggest place in town it was great to see a decent sized crowd ready in anticipation for the opening band.

With a wonderful dreamy fuzz sound and vocalist Ben Russell having a fantastic voice, if the quality of their debut single Sidecar/Circling is anything to go by then we’re fully expecting to hear some great stuff from this four piece coming our way in 2017

Next up came Strange Collective. When the band first took the stage front man Alex was nowhere to be seen, and we wondered whether they were going to be playing as a three piece, but he was soon found with a pint and the set got underway.

Ever since the release of the debut EP Super Touchy these guys have been a regular at Liverpool gigs, with some wonderful garage rock. Everyone reading this has probably seen Strange Collective by now, but if not check ’em out.

Pictures by Getintothis’ Brian Sayle