CHVRCHES // O2 ACADEMY, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

CHVRCHES end their main-land UK leg of ‘ Love Is Dead’ Tour with packed sold-out show at Newcastle Upon Tyne’s O2 Academy

CHVRCHES PERFORMING AT NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE’S O2 ACADEMY - 18.02.2019 PICTURE BY: CALUM BUCHAN PHOTOGRAPHY — **CHVRCHES PERFORMING AT NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE’S O2 ACADEMY - 18.02.2019**
PICTURE BY: CALUM BUCHAN PHOTOGRAPHY

★★★★☆

After nearly four years of intensive touring and promoting their third album ‘Love Is Dead’, Chvrches made their their glorious return to Newcastle Upon Tyne’s O2 Aademy for one last packed sold-out show on Mainland leg of the UK Tour, before heading across to Ireland.

Opening tonight’s show were Norwich natives Let’s eat Grandma who opened the show on 18th February with a gloriously gothic theme of punk, synths and outright dirty pop in their best way as possible. With tracks such as ‘Ava’, ‘Hot Pink’ and ‘It’s Not Just Me’ have earned the duo a support lot supporting Chvrches on their UK Tour. Let’s Eat Grandma’s support slot on the tour will have earned them a following. While ripping on on an electric guitar whilst lying flat on the stage, running the length of the front row delivering high-fives, and a mash-up of trumpets, recorders and synths were all part of a setlist worthy of bigger audiences. The packed out O2 Academy seemed to loved every minute of their set. Massive Cheers and applause as the duo left the stage.

The construction of Chvrches’ songs shows an abundance of synced hand-claps, singalongs and pointed index fingers bouncing in the air which enjoying the likes 'The Mother We Share’, ‘Gun’ and ‘We Sink’ and cult up hits from their follow-up ‘Bury It, ‘Leave A Trace’, ‘Clearest Blue’ which deseverdly got the a rapturous reception time and again from the Geordie crowd. The Scottish band’s newer tracks ‘Get Out’, ‘Miracle’, ‘Never Say Die’ shown to have not lost on the packed out Geordie crowd, every single person in the venue welcomed the newer music with joy.

Halfway through their set, Martin Doherty allowed front-member Lauren Mayberry a short role reversal. Her, on synth keyboards and him, fronting his verses for two tracks on gritty ‘God’s Plan’ and the shimmery ‘Under The Tide’' which coupled the indefatigable dancing that saw him lean a little to close to the expensive kit. A very brave move in front of a sold-out crowd which he executed brilliantly.

Chvrches straddle a unique line between the remnants of post-emo and electro-synth, and are still as popular now to when they first started as a group with their debut album which was released during 2013. The band have undoubtedly deserved every accolade awarded in their music, but it’s really at their live shows we see the gravitas of the hits.

Flanked by the back wall of powerful strobes of all shapes and sizes, they delivered a very visually stunning and powerful show which is always expected from the Scottish group, doused also in superbly-timed visuals akin to the best rave patty you can have very been to. To their fans it was visual mix of genre lovers, which demonstrate the perfect blend which Chvrches still manage to maintain in every album they produce.