THE MURDER CAPITAL // IRISH CENTRE, LEEDS
55 MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE MURDER CAPITAL – “MORE MORE MORE” PLEASE !!
THE MURDER CAPITAL PERFORMING AT LEEDS’S IRISH CENTRE - 13.02.2020
PICTURE BY: | JOHN HAYHURST PHOTOGRAPHY @SNAPAGIG.COM
★★★★★ (5/5)
There is a line in the opening live track from The Murder Capital tonight “More is Less, More is Less, More…More…More”. In a show at less than an hour, I desperately wanted more, not being greedy or anything, but this was such a cathartic experience that it seemed over with prematurely, leaving you breathless and frustrated when the lights were lifted.
The word intense is used several times to describe The Murder Capital, they have an edge most bands would kill for, smart peaky blinders (without the hats) attire, Dr Marten shoes, a cool but violent manner, like it’s all about to kick off at any moment, or singer James McGovern might just kiss you on the forehead and tell you he loves you – Who knows what you’re going to get? but it is an intense experience.
From the first time I saw them in the pink room at YES in Manchester on the Neighbourhood Festival in 2018 I’ve been hooked. At that time only about 5 people were in the room at the start of the show, it was packed by the end, and what we all witnessed on that day was a new band from Dublin playing one of their very first gigs in England with unbridled passion and emotion. Almost 2 years later and in the meantime having witnessed their show around 10 times at festivals and their own headline gigs – the experience doesn’t change, but it’s now happening all across Europe as they have gathered fans from every show, they told their friends…and so on. They also have an album ‘When I Have Fears’ to promote.
Tonight, starts with heavy strobe lighting and bass player Gabriel Paschal Blake seems to be wrestling with a possessed guitar as he throws it around the stage before placing it around his neck. Feedback and random tunings greet James McGovern as he strolls on to the stage pacing up and down deciding what to do next. We are about to be hit with a couple of big tunes which is unusual of late as they have preferred to start slow – even in pitch black darkness and with Slowdance I and II. Tonight’s opener is ‘More is Less’ and the crowd chant “More More More” as McGovern decides to jump in the middle of them and start his own mini circle pit. This is a large social centre in Leeds, used for weddings and local events, it is probably not used to crowd surfing or circle pit antics, they are short lasted but still energetic as ‘Green and Blue’ quickly follows.
Just about every song on the album is played tonight, the majestic ‘On Twisted Ground’ is dedicated to anyone that has lost a friend, “Think about them and sing with us” McGovern tries to be non-political and provides more social commentary especially considering the news that breaks in the morning about Caroline Flack. Heavy breathing from McGovern and gentle bass strum from Mental Health and Suicide Awareness are buried in almost every lyric, the albums writing heavily influenced by the suicide of a close friend. The emotional feelings from band member to band member and then to audience tonight are tangible to say the least.
The slowdance tracks are built gradually into anthemic proportions, there is no chatter, even at the bar area, total respect and a chance to really listen and immerse yourself into this performance. It’s drama on stage, performed in the same way every night and yet mesmerising each time. The Murder Capital manage to blend fierce post punk energy and emotional pathos with ease from track to track, it is a beautiful tragedy unfolding in front of your eyes - if Nick Cave fronted Joy Division you might be getting somewhere near.
The fiercest tambouring playing you have ever seen and then ‘For Everything’ is ready to burst into life, it has the most chaotic scenes where guitarists clash and crash into each other, McGovern just standing there, eye closed swaying, conducting the madness behind until the break where we join him in the “For Everything…For Nothing” chants. ‘Don’t Cling To Life’ follows and by now we are in full flow, sweat pouring and a plucky lad decides to try his chances for a crowd surf, he lands on stage beckoned on by the band, who then despatch him back to the crowd in a comical fashion.
During the start of ‘Feeling Fades’ we are all asked to sit or crouch down before springing back for the chorus, however, fans are waiting for the moment that James McGovern will turn his back on them and then flips over to expectant hands waiting to catch him. His crowd surf lasts for about 30 seconds and after that it’s all over. Boom… lights up and we are all stood dazed and confused having had just 55 minutes of another incredible performance. We want more…more…more!! But there are no encores, and no new songs on this tour. 9 tracks have to be enough for everyone.
This band are on the verge of greatness and I fully expect them to be in double the size of venues on their next tour. They will be playing a handful of festivals in the summer so check those line up posters – Neighbourhood Weekender and Kendal Calling being two such events I will definitely be at to catch them. If you can manage to get a ticket for this tour (you will be lucky as its sold out) there are still a number of dates in the UK.
Check out YouTube clip of Green & Blue and Feeling Fades live in a radio studio https://youtu.be/MLuE7LOA_s0
SETLIST: | THE MURDER CAPITAL : IRISH CENTRE, LEEDS - 13.02.2020
More Is Less
Green & Blue
Slowdance I
Slowdance II
On Twisted Ground
Love, Love, Love
For Everything
Don’t Cling To Life
Feeling Fades