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Okay, pardon the pun. But the band was ready, a year after cancelling for reasons beyond their control, to return to Atlanta and deliver a phenomenal show. Hot on the heels of their second critically acclaimed CD, Stumpwork, the band launched into two songs from that release, and the (long sold-out) audience was pretty much hooked. Good thing. They played their biggest hit (so far) “Scratchyard Lanyard” next, which might work against them should the crowd decide to call it an early Sunday night. No problem here. The band’s confidence shown through, both in their material and their tight and enthusiastic presentation.
Dry Cleaning is pretty much the story of of melding seeming opposites and finding a lovely fit. Florence Shaw is the lead singer vocalist narrator interpreter of her own lyrical musings. She ventures far and wide with references to royalty, male violence, the demise of a family pet, a trip to a water park and other observational subjects with a dose of humor, candor, or mystery. No matter. Her fairly deadpan musings, free of expected meter or refrains, speak “art rock.”
Or is it? Guitarist Tom Dowse, bassist Lewis Maynard and drummer Nick Buxton would allow the art rock perception, except for those moments when the former punk/hardcore musicians flat out rock. On record, their riffs and tones subtly reinforce the mood and feel of Shaw’s musings. Live, there’s plenty of room for more aggressive expression, occasionally in break-away solo space but more commonly filling the spaces between her phrasings. Post-punk, then, is it? Meh. Who cares for labels. If you like their recordings, you’re certain to like their performance. If you should come across them unawares, you’ll like the performance to the point where you’ll seek out their record product. That’s the music business these days, and at least the band makes a little. In any case, live in concert, their nuance and power is a winning combination, elevated by great riffs and musical hooks.
More photos follow.
Setlist:
