OCTOBER DRIFT // LENDING ROOM, LEEDS
FOREVER/WHATEVER – OCTOBER DRIFT PROVE THEY ARE BETTER LIVE THAN ON RECORD
OCTOBER DRIFT PERFORMING AT LEEDS’S LENDING ROOM - 11.02.2020
PICTURE BY: | JOHN HAYHURST PHOTOGRAPHY @SNAPAGIG.COM
★★★★☆ (4/5)
I’ll start by saying I was slightly disappointed with the album, released a few weeks ago. ‘Forever/Whatever’ was a bleak attempt at capturing the raw sound that October Drift possess. Only from seeing the whites of their eyes in a live setting and feeling that thump in your chest can you get the emotional needles flickering and aural fists raised. Studio sound production just didn’t do it for me, and as I’m waiting at a small upstairs venue in Leeds, I’m really hoping that my previous live experiences of this band were not just an alcohol infused memory.
Support band Dead Naked Hippies are in their hometown and they went down particularly well, a punk based three-piece with singer Lucy Jowett who has more than a few looks and sounds of early Siouxsie Soux, except with red/pink hair and a white denim skirt than full on black banshee gothic princess. ‘Guillotine’ was a favourite, stripped back till the chorus and plenty of howling riffs. Impressed me much, I love it when the support matches the headline band, and this lot will be worth checking out again sometime.
As the sound of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ is heard from the speakers we realise it’s about to start and the throng of regular fans, some of whom have travelled a distance to be here on a cold Tuesday night in Yorkshire are turning their attention to the stage as the lads from Taunton, Somerset are getting ready to fire. Guitar slung high up his chest frontman Kiran Roy appears pumped to see everyone and with a raised fist in the air they pause (Rage Against the Machine style) and then pound into ‘Losing My Touch’. All thoughts of are they still great live were washed away in the first 30 seconds as the three at the front put such energy and drive into those opening bars.
Fan favourite ‘Cherry Red’ was next and that started the first wave of dance/jumping at the front, guitarist Daniel Young stands at the front (and on handbags that a few girls have left) open mouthed before turning back to frontman Kiran spinning and thrashing his guitar for all its worth. ‘Just Got Caught’ another belter which starts with some fierce drumming from Chris Holmes and some anthemic spacey guitar worthy of a Radiohead epic. Kiran Roy able to get closer to the crowd leaning his bright white mic stand forward while bass player Alex Bispham is content to just bend and shake his hair around. There is little room to move on this stage, but they manage to put increased energy into every track.
Some slight respite for slower numbers like ‘Don’t Give Me Hope’ but even that erupts during the chorus. That’s the formula honed by endless touring, staccato drum beats and fist raising choruses that build into concert hall anthems, if only they were playing those sized venues, we need to give them more time but with every show they gain a handful more loyal fans, and don’t forget this is only album No1.
They play the whole album ‘Forever Whatever’ in full, even the slower acoustic track ‘Naked’ right at the end – an intense live show as always, it cannot be bottled and put out on record, maybe they should just release a live album next. But whatever you do, if October Drift are playing a show near you, or you see them listed on a festival line-up – go see them!!
Check out YouTube clip here from a couple of years ago https://youtu.be/jaABvLRELVA
SETLIST: | OCTOBER DRIFT : LENDING ROOM, LEEDS - 11.02.2020
Losing My Touch
Cherry Red
Just Got Caught
Don’t Give Me Hope
Milky Blue
Oh the Silence
Lost
Cinnamon Girl
Come and Fine Me
Forever Whatever
The Past
Naked