[GIG REVIEW] Spector @ Thekla, Bristol, 13th October 2015

Usually, the first night of a UK tour is one that creates a faint tension in the air, yet has a sense of the unexpected brimming throughout the atmosphere of the venue. Encompassing the feeling of the unknown, the sold-out Bristol Thekla seemed to be inevitably buzzing with enthusiasm, eagerly awaiting for the appearance of London indie-rock band Spector onto the compact stage. Gracing the audience promptly whilst simultaneously receiving a reception of exceptional acclamation, dressed in sleek outfits of black and white, Fred Macpherson and his band launched into their enhanced set-list, ironically opening with the closing track on new ‘Moth Boys’ LP ‘Lately It’s You’.

Armed with atmospheric, eerie synths, ‘Lately It’s You’ was the perfect introductory number for the evening, let alone for the initiation of the UK tour. Accompanied by Fred Macpherson’s flawless lead vocals filled with sentiment, the overall portrayal of the track was precise, ensuring the build-up to the climax bursting with guitars and bass was established in complete effect. Swiftly following with up-beat ‘Don’t Make Me Try,’ the overall adolescent crowd became more animated, echoing back the lyrics with such commitment that there was an impression of familiarity circulating the entire room. Ingenious, anthemic single ‘Stay High’ was next, consisting of a driving drum beat combined with continuous guitar riffs, the instrumentation deliberately established the musicianship of the band. The comprehensive dark comedy embedded in every verse was explicitly evident, with Fred Macpherson ensuring that each lyric was portrayed as heartfelt as possible by connecting with members of the audience constantly.

Nostalgia became apparent as Spector performed hits from their 2012 debut album ‘Enjoy It While It Lasts.’ ‘Celestine’ and ‘Friday Night’ generated immense mosh-pits galore, whilst the compact space became extensively more humid every second. The energy exerted from the band ensured that the crowd maintained their devotion throughout the dynamic tracks. ‘Lay Low’ provided a warm tranquility to the ambience of the area, with Fred’s rich, expressive vocals creating an engaging and purifying sound throughout. The ultimate clarity exerted from this live track was magnificently spine-tingling, with solid refined layers which intricately formed a classic, compelling crescendo towards the finale of the tune.

Expressing their gratitude to the crowd for selling-out the famous Bristol boat venue, Spector undoubtedly exhibited themselves as a band of the people, demonstrating their humility as well as being a band who sing about the realities of contemporary lifestyle which makes them all the more relatable. New track, ‘Bad Boyfriend’ reflects the pains and challenges of the modern generation, encouraging effortless audience participation which overflowed with passion and meaning. Therefore, it was entirely evident at that moment that Spector are a band who ensure that they connect with the entire crowd. Comprising of catchy choruses and unforgettable guitar rhythms ‘Decade of Decay’ provoked a sentiment of unlimited vivacity, with Fred Macpherson bending over into the crowd of screaming girls making captivating eye contact to maintain a brief moment of correspondence. 80’s-inspired track ‘Believe’ was a performance in itself, consisting of electrifying synth sounds and varied colourful lighting the venue felt like it had been transported back in time.

As the set drew to a close, Spector launched into acclaimed fast-moving hit ‘Chevy Thunder.’ Proving to be an ultimate crowd favourite, the guitar-based, powerful track literally caused the boat to rock. The atmosphere was thrilling, and was without a doubt a memorable moment, the entire audience chanting, dancing, there was no stopping this exhilarating moment. Culminating with well-known tune ‘Never Fade Away,’ Fred encouraged the venue to join him in keeping the rhythm whilst he embellished the drum beat with his meaningful lyrics and vocal tones. Spector continued to present themselves as an expressive band who were most definitely eloquent in all aspects of this spirited track.

When Spector promptly exited the stage after performing the two old favourites, chants and screams flooded the compact space, encouraging a predictable encore to take place. ‘Grey Shirt and Tie’ proved to be the affectionate detail it was intended for, triggering a sense of reminiscence as well as slight melancholy yet still coated in a layer of elation, therefore smiles still resonated all around. ‘Moth Boys’ opener ‘All The Sad Young Men’ was the ultimate perfect ending to Spector’s sensational set. Incorporating melodious verses with an incredibly memorable chorus, euphoria and ecstasy bounced round the Thekla while Spector gave the performance their all. Fred’s vibrant, resonant vocals conveyed passion as well as commitment to the tune which aided in the overall feeling of a spellbinding atmosphere.

Initiating the first ‘Moth Boys’ tour with an extremely powerful and meaningful set, it is without a doubt that Spector are on track for exceptional things to come. Proving to be a compelling live band, as well as clever musicians, it is no wonder that they connect so well with the audience. Spector’s sound is one full of great clarity and perfection which is very hard to accomplish these days. Therefore, one shouldn’t miss them on their current intimate UK tour and catch this remarkably talented band while one can!



Check out the tour dates below:

Wed October 14 2015 - BIRMINGHAM Institute Library
Thu October 15 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Sat October 17 2015 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Sun October 18 2015 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Cluny
Tue October 20 2015 - EDINBURGH Electric Circus
Wed October 21 2015 - GLASGOW King Tuts
Thu October 22 2015 - LIVERPOOL O2 Academy2 Liverpool
Sat October 24 2015 - SHEFFIELD Leadmill
Sun October 25 2015 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Tue October 27 2015 - BRIGHTON Patterns (formerly Audio)
Wed October 28 2015 - OXFORD O2 Academy2 Oxford
Thu October 29 2015 - LONDON Heaven

[SINGLE REVIEW] Spector - Stay High

“Spector have released their latest single, Stay High. It comes just over a month before the release of their hotly anticipated LP Moth Boys. At a first listen, Stay High hits an agreeably less moody tone than their previous releases from the album. Continuing his raw commentary on modern relationships, front-man Fred Macpherson sings about the ways that we show our love. “Bonding over hating people” - I know I can relate to that.

With an infectious opening riff and a catchy, surging chorus that’s so typical of Spector, the fifth taster of their new material definitely feels ready to be heard live. Catch them at Reading and Leeds festivals or on their UK tour in October. A word of warning, though: it’s probably not worth watching the video.

Written by - Tanguy Tomes

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Spector unveil video for "Kyoto Garden"

Today sees Spector unveil the stunning video for "Kyoto Garden", taken from their forthcoming second album. The video has been a collaborative process with creatives from all over the world for Topman’s Openshoot project.

Spector share new track "Bad Boyfriend"

London foursome Spector have revealed their 2nd song from their - as yet untitled - new album. "Bad Boyfriend" is more of an upbeat track compared to their other newbie "All The Sad Young Man" and offers a glimpse of what their upcoming LP might sound like.

Scroll on down to check it out.

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Spector reveal video for "All The Sad Young Men"

Spector have just revealed the video for the brilliant "All The Sad Young Men". The video was directed by St Martin’s graduate Laura Baker, who was approached by bassist Tom Shickle, who says:

"I first approached Laura after seeing her work at a film club put on by the photographer Tyrone Lebon. Her work seemed to encapsulate the empty yet jubilant feeling of the track. Luckily for us she said yes to making the video - she completely understood the mood of the song and started filming pretty much straight away."

Spector unveil video for "Don't Make Me Try"

Last week saw the unveiling of Spector's brand new track "Don't Make Me Try", produced by Dev Hynes it's their first track in well over a year. Now you can watch a lovely retro effect video. The new track is out on Fiction now!

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Spector stream new song "Don’t Make Me Try"

Spector have just revealed "Don’t Make Me Try" - the first taste of their new album, due next year on Fiction Records. The track received its first spin from Zane Lowe last week and was produced by Dev Hynes, you can listen to the track just below!

 

Daily Download... Luls - Young (Spector Remix)

Luls are one of those fast rising bands that'll be on everyone's lips come the turn of the year, and Spector have remixed their latest single.

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Festival Review... Reading Festival, 24th August 2012

This was the first day of the 2012 edition of the Reading festival. This post will be about bands and acts that played on Friday the 24th of August.

I started my day with the first band to play the whole weekend, and it got off to a great start. Funeral Suits kicked off the weekend for me and it was one of the best performances I saw the whole day, the lads were all really energetic, captivating the crowd. They brought their Irish charm with them to the slightly glum faces of the drunken revellers and turned their frowns up-side-down. The highlight of the set for me was their stomper 'All Those People'

After I saw Funeral Suits I meandered around a few bands and found myself watching 'We Were Frontiers', they're a Folk band from Leeds, managing to bring the crowd in and gathering them from the passers by, they were a delight to listen to early in the day. We're going to keep an eye on them for sure!

The next two bands for us were just to fill in the time, 'Deaf Havana' are always going to be shit in my eyes, every song they played seemed to be the same, simple riffs, random shouting that slightly resembled singing. I spoke to some of their fans after the performance and even they said it was a weak by their standards, not even playing their good songs too. Shit is a word I'd like to describe them. Hadouken!, now, I was ONLY there so I could get close to the front for Friends (who were on next). Don't get me wrong, I liked 'Declaration of War', but the rest of the songs sound the same with the basslines and drum beats, YAWN

Friends and Spector both provided a nice break from the crap bands both putting in excellent performances to get my faith in music restored, the same goes for the youngest band to play the whole weekeend. The Park Bench Society, they were literally a band I stumbled upon walking to see Crystal Castles, the distorted vocals, the simplistic approach to their Acoustic/Ska influenced songs really got the crowd moving. Ok that may not seem a lot, but the crowd was the biggest I saw all weekend at the Introducing stage. A fantastic band we're keeping an eye on!



Crystal Castles were always going to be a big hit at the festival, yet I was wondering why most of the time, Alice seemed to be constantly on the floor almost crying due to her hair being a bit too pruple, but they still got the crowd moving especially when 'Not In Love' came on, as soon as it did, I went off to see Lucy Rose and Alt-J grace the Festval Republic Stage. They both played to a rammed tent with lots of people walking away after seeing it over-flowing, I managed to get a good position for both bands and I've even managed to take a couple of good pictures! Both acts proved to be worth the hype, especially Lucy Rose, who got a new fan in me!

After seeing Alt-J finish off their set I was a little late seeing Bombay Bicycle Club play the mainstage, but I managed to see them play a brand new song 'Carry On', still not officially out, but I loved the song as much as I loved 'How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep' when that was doing it's rounds before 'Flaws' came out.



I finished the day off watching The Courteeners, Foster The People and The Maccabees. Foster The People had the whole place bouncing and getting them warmed up for the impending arrival of The Maccabees. The band were showcasing songs off their latest album, and the performance was just amazing, the new songs sounded amazing live and the old stuff got the crowd singing along like no other band I saw the whole day. This was indeed a highlight of the day!

Spector announce the tracklisting for their début album

Spector earlier today announced when their album will be released (13th August) and the tracks that have made the cut for the début. They feature all of their singles and some songs they haven't played live ... yet! To pre-order 'Enjoy It While It Lasts' click HERE.




1. True Love (For Now)
2. Chevy Thunder
3. Grey Shirt & Tie
4. Twenty Nothing
5. Friday Night, Don't Ever Let It End
6. Lay Low
7. Upset Boulevard
8. No Adventure
9. What You Wanted
10. Celestine
11. Grim Reefer
12. Never Fade Away



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Festival Review... Live At Leeds, Various Venues, Leeds, 5th May 2012

It’s just hit the start of May, and it’s that time of year again where the inner-city festivals take the floor, before the summer festivals arrive. Yet again for the third year running, I paid ritual to my local gala – Live At Leeds. The festival takes place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, showcasing local and national talent. The main attraction for the festival, the All-Day event on the Saturday, involves you being able to experience musical brilliance from 12am to 12pm across the city in a variety of venues for just £20. Yes, just £20! This year saw the likes of The Enemy, Marina And The Diamonds (who sadly pulled out ill two days before the day), Los Campesinos! and The Subways being called the headliners.



After a late rising, I eventually find myself at the wristband exchange ready to go. With the weather being unpredictable as usual and the surprises installed, it was hard to plan a schedule. Nonetheless I began my day at the local haven that is the Brudenell Social Club – which won the Best Small Venue Award for the North East last year. Here, I experienced the well-practiced Hunting Bears, a harmonious folk quintet. Playing in their hometown, they felt no pressure and delivered a pleasant set, incorporating a varying range of instruments including a harp and ukulele to name but a few. Re-mastered ‘Heavy Tree’ went down a treat, with the music being enhanced by the band members’ infectious chemistry.

After having a small listen to dance wannabes Jaymz Dean, who did not connect well with the relatively large audience, I made my way to witness recently blown-up indie sensations Citizens!. The Kitsuné collective reciprocated a moderately relaxed approach, but nonetheless gave the crowd a piece of what is to come from their debut album. Singles ‘Reptile’ and ‘True Romance’ were well-received, even with some crowd members simply being there as they had no idea where else to go. The “saviours of pop” nailed their set mustering in all the elements of alt. pop, electronica, disco-indie and even hip-hop. They had the glitz of prime Franz Ferdinand but also the classic Bowie glam.



After a short walk fuelled by a quick pint and packet of crisps, next up was synth abusers Bastille. When I say ‘abusers’ I mean that in the nicest way possible, they used layers and drum beats to perfection, delivering an almost faultless pop driven 30 minutes. They are a band who aims to please, with frontman Dan Smith sporting an amusingly crafted coiffure and a cheeky onstage presence. The energy diffused around the room, breaking members of the front row into what seemed a dance routine. After finishing on ‘Flaws’ and after Dan finally gained the courage to jump off the speakers, which he earlier climbed, they received a well-deserved applause. Due to placement of some venues, and distance required to cover to get from one to the other, I sadly had to give a few up-and-coming bands a skip - notably, the delectable PEACE, the calming TOY and also the likeable The History Of Apple Pie.



As the afternoon was coming to an end, I neatly avoided the ever-growing queues of loud and over-excited teens echoing the name ‘Example’ surrounding Millennium Square (a concert presented outside of Live At Leeds). I found myself at the largest venue in Leeds (soon to be 2nd, after the arena is built), the O2 Academy. First up with a noteworthy stint was Niki & The Dove, the Swedish electropop duo. Face of the band, Malin Dahlström, gave a strange yet eye-catching display as she waved her arms and body in a mystical fashion. With a considerable amount of people present, the couple did not fret, but instead took “their people” through a world of unknown, playing favourites ‘DJ Ease My Mind’ and new title ‘Tomorrow’. Outlandish indie pop boys Spector followed suit, this time inducing the crowd into a frenzy. This was my second time to see the ever suave outfit, and they certainly did not disappoint. With a mix of opinionated yet insightful banter from main man Fred MacPherson and their sharp catchy songs, the band ran through their set in half an hour even though they were scheduled 15 minutes more. At this point in time, they filled the venue (up and downstairs), with even a small mosh-pit breaking into existence – a rarity for the band. The band, belting their last two anthems ‘Chevy Thunder’ and ‘Never Fade Away’, tick off another great show. The only downside being their predictability, as they play the exact same setlist in the exact same order, as the one to when I saw them in February.

Onto the southern parts of town, I encountered the remarkably enthralling end to S.C.U.M’s show, which made me think ‘why didn’t I walk faster?’ Nevertheless, after having to pass up the opportunity to see the lovely Lucy Rose (which cut me deeply, being a massive fan); I found myself on the edge of the stage ready to witness what was, in my opinion, the highlight of the day. Being tipped as the young, grunge Strokes and being granted a 45 minute slot; it was Howler who really left an imprint on the city. With The Cockpit (the venue) swollen with people, the band provided an onslaught. The onslaught was loud, fast-paced and a provoker of energy. The crowd bellowed every song back at Jordan Gatesmith (lead singer), even before he had a chance to breath. The tracks from their astounding debut album ‘America Give Up’ rang like a Greatest Hits set. Drummer Brad, continued through ‘This One’s Different’ without a chair as he previously broke simply by bouncing with excitement – showing purely how determined this band are. The effortless cool of the band made girls weak at the knees, and even made men scrounge to just touch the band members. The seemingly short set pushed at the walls of the venue striving for something bigger, and I have no doubt they will fulfil this ambition. Passing outside after the gig, I was able to meet frontman Jordan where he explained “English crowds are so energetic, I love it”, leading him to set his ambitions of the festival circuit later this summer.



At this point, I was beginning to feel the full effects of the long day, and unfortunately couldn’t make it to see Leeds mentalists Blacklisters and local folk bringer Sam Airey. However, I found resurgence as I witnessed the new and experimental phenomena that are Alt-J. The recently tipped quartet, bring something never seen before to the musical table. The variety of sound they produce, lead to a delayed start, because of the technical demands required. Still, the band who came to University in Leeds, provided a jovial set with ‘Breezeblocks’ and ‘Tessellate’ encouraging fans to leave their seats and stand up (they performed in the calming settings of the Holy Trinity Church). A row of hands expressing their well-known triangle symbol (∆) greeted the band, showing how widely received they have become since their exposure. Personal favourite ‘Fitzpleasure’ ended the set leaving the crowd jiving and undeniably wanting more.



Due to the delayed start of the previous set, I had to abandon amiable Dog Is Dead and discard any hope of seeing established acts Ghostpoet, Los Campesinos! and Reverend And The Makers. With it approaching midnight, I decided to end my day with the lyrical genius that is Scroobius Pip. This performance, however, lacked his famous counterpart Dan Le Sac; instead he went it solo with a backing of band members on guitar and drums. This different layout provided louder rock-like beats to back his fast-flowing rhymes. With the sad passing of Beastie Boys member Adam Yaunch, Scroobius dedicated this set to him by sporting a VW sign around his neck for which he stole when he went to see them in 2001. Starting with appropriately titled ‘Introdiction’ he stated his plan “Hello my name is Pip, and I would like to speak some lyrics”. That he did, and after finishing off a bottle of wine, he ran through a mix of old and new, with no expression of nerves in front of the strong and ever-growing crowd. His ability to spit lyrics at such a rate was indescribable and let’s not forget the appropriateness of his words. He unionised every member of the crowd making them one of his own. It was no surprise that he used every minute of his deserved 1 hour set, and it was a the ideal way to end a superb day.

Visit Live At Leeds. I recommend it.

Written by - Richard Maver

Friday's Finest

So us and our pals at Slate The Disco have as always put together your weekend soundtrack, we’ve got a mix of garage rock, indie, twee pop and a lot of love. Enjoy!



It’s All Indie: Sketches – Lovers Liars
We’ve been following Sketches for a while now, and after
picking up their back catalogue last year and getting their latest single for free we had to check it out. ‘Lovers Liars’ is a great track to associate them by as this is them at their finest, the vocals, the melodies and the guitar tones are all perfect!




Slate The Disco: Ill Murray – C4
So we’ve been banging on about Ill Murray for what seems like an age now. Yes their name is brilliant but their slacker rock, post-punk sound is even better. In ‘C4’ we’re giving you a world premier of this track, pretty special. ‘C4’ will form part of their forthcoming ‘Butterscotch’ EP which is out next week.




It’s All Indie: Polarsets – Distance
This young band from Newcastle creates some amazing tropical-indie sounds, far from the very stereotypical Geordie overcast drizzle. They’ve managed to brighten up our week with the release of their eagerly awaited EP, ‘Distance’ is just one of the many great tracks that they have.




Slate The Disco: Nixon – I Would Never Venture You
So our first pick was a straight up roarcous affair, therefore our second pick is going to be completely different. We’ve gone for the twee indie pop stylings of Roger Gunnarsson, otherwise known as Nixon. This heart-melting number is his forthcoming 4 track EP.



UNANIMOUS: Spector - Celestine




So that's that for another week, check back daily here and at Slate The Disco for updates from the music world!

Track of the week... Spector - What You Wanted

Spector are, Fred Macpherson (vocals), Christopher Burman (guitar), Thomas Shickle (bass), Jed Cullen (synth, guitar), Danny Blandy (drums). The first time I caught Spector live it was in Clapham Common at the Get Loaded! Festival. It was rammed with more people watching them play than over at the main-stage due to the rain. Check out their new single 'What You Wanted' out on Luv Luv Luv Records September 19.



Comparisons can be made to quickly and they have been compared to The Vaccines. 'What You Wanted' is already such a radio friendly track that I can easily see this being played all over the radio as soon as the single us upon the world. And what a song they have created here, the vocals are as heartfelt as they can ever get, the guitars are so clean and crisp and the production on this song just seals the deal. Such a great advert for the band.

Spector - What You Wanted (S.C.U.M Remix) by Luv Luv Luv

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Introducing... Spector

Spector are, Fred Macpherson (vocals), Christopher Burman (guitar), Thomas Shickle (bass), Jed Cullen (synth, guitar), Danny Blandy (drums). Spector are a band that play a dark type of Post-Punk Revival with a touch of their new influences such as Editors and Arcade Fire. With great soulful lyrics and a powerful presence from the front man, Spector can only now snowball on from the festival scene to be massive in 2012! Having already seen them play live at a festival, I would like to say that I will be more than pleased to see them again!







Fred can really sing, coming all the way from the heart this lead singer has such a great presence when listening to their music. If you wanted a track to get into them from the get-go, just listen to 'What You Wanted' or 'Never Fade Away' - the latter which is below - they already have two great tracks in the wings for their début album.



Spector - Never Fade Away by Luv Luv Luv



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