Electronic/synth trio BEAK> headlined Manchester’s New Century Hall earlier this week bringing their unique mash of of synch pop/prog-electro to this very fitting venue. The electronic sound was complimented by a retro stage set, which was one of the most laid back set ups I have seen for a while, rehearsal room vibes which was made even more chilled with the casual interaction to the audience.
The band have a wonderful on stage presence, and there is a warmth that emits through the band, all completely in sync with each other. Bassist Billy Fuller remains seated throughout and this adds the the casual vibe that the audience enjoy so much.
The vocals are limited with the instruments taking the lead and taking the audience on a mind bending journey of surreal mind bending melodies that are charmingly unpredictable. The set showcased their brand new album ‘BEAK> 4’ with the band starting the evening with ‘Strawberry Line’, which really showcased keyboard player Geoff Barrow’s (formally of Portishead) prowess as he took the lead in this one.
The songs are lengthy and just when you think it is all over, the bass line kicks in again and we are off down a different pathway entirely. The band made local headlines last month when they made a plea with the public to buy tickets for this date on the tour. It seemed to have worked wonders as the hall was crammed with fans, many having clearly visited the merch table too beforehand.
This week has been jam packed with top tier musicians gracing our city’s favourite venues, so fair play to any slightly underground act pulling in an audience of this size, it shows that there is plenty of room for some electronic synth pop. BEAK> continue their tour overseas, heading to France this weekend, then embarking across Europe before heading across the pond for some stateside gigs, For more information on the band, click the link below.
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