Last-minute decision to see a bit of shoegazing tonight in Leeds for me!
Edinburgh based band Man Of Moon has been getting quite a few laudets on social media during their current tour so I decided to go check em out as it’s been an unusually quiet week on the gig front for once.
Turns out that possibly the favourite current support band for Leigh based The Lottery Winners are the support here tonight too, Embrace’s Richard McNamara’s side project EEVAH.
Having already seen them a couple of times supporting said band, they’ve already impressed me somewhat so regardless of how Man of Moon perform the night won’t have been a waste.
After a false start that sounded like the sound guy hadn’t turned the system amps back on after the soundcheck EEVAH kick off with Promises which immediately alerts the small crowd to the sheer power of Nicole’s vocals and the following Take Me To Bed simply reinforces the fact.
It’s a first time outing for new track Apology and it seems to be perking up ears from the bar next door as folk seemed to start piling into the gig half of the venue from there however it’s further on during the set when performing the Kate Bush classic Running Up That Hill, that EEVAH fully grabs the now considerably grown crowd.
It might be the appearance of a Keytar (how often do you see one of those these days) or Nicole’s vocal rendition of it that brings everyone on board but it’s a spectacular cover and the song itself is a good indication to their musical style, there’s a lot of nods to the past 40 years in their songs I’ve heard so far but brought up to date with a current vibe, definitely one to keep an eye out for.
Completely new to Man Of Moon, other than having heard of them previously and getting a quick listenIng on the train into Leeds, this is very much a first-time experience and it’s a slow build-up from the pair during the Intro but then they kick into Sign and bang, they hit me.
Echos of KLF’s Bill Drummond on vocals, Listen Like Thieves in performance, and Slowdive in songwriting spring into my mind, it’s a dramatic opening to the set during Ride the Waves and current single Run And Hide and something is telling me I’m in for a wonderful sonic adventure ride tonight.
With Chris’s vocals constantly heading in different directions plus the drumming from the band’s new drummer (who unfortunately I don’t know the name of) being nothing short of exceptional and engaging, I can feel myself getting sucked into the moment more and more as each track passes.
The last time this happened to me in Leeds was at The War On Drugs gig in the Academy Leeds but this time rather than floating away with the experience by the time Man Of Moon are playing Rust with its similarities to many a Doves track I’m being pummeled into submission by them and it feels like I’m the only one there they’re playing to.
Before I know it, the hours worth of music is up and MOM are finishing off with their debut single The Road and I’m wondering what the hell just happened, I’ve just been sucker punched by a band I’ve seen (and pretty much heard) for the first time tonight and they’re now extracting money from me at the Merch desk – the night has truly been far from wasted.