Menacing Ringlets
Me and my friend Rob met at the Cornerhouse, had a quick chat with Isabelle Croissant and then trooped off to Manchester University Union to see Ladytron.
We got stuck in a huge queue with a load of teenage girls, who were there to see the heavy metal racket in the hall below, but the queue cleared quickly and we were able to make our way to Academy 3 without much delay.
There was a merchandise stall at the top of the Union stairs. The band t-shirts were crap, which given the fact that Ladytron's image is aesthetically impressive is odd. As far as I am aware, they have NEVER produced a decent t-shirt.
Battant,the support band, were a threesome, two guys and a girl. The guitarist looked cool and confident but the vocalist and drummer looked as nervous as a pair of startled fauns. Worse still, the drummer had an egg shaped head, the likes of which little boys usually leave behind when they are seven, and an awful haircut. Musically, they were unexceptional Eurythmics style electropop.
I have a funny feeling the legendary, art-punk/new wave band WIRE may be Ladytron's favourite band. I say this because about nine of their songs, mainly from their first three albums, were played prior to Ladytron's arrival. Wire were great and if they stick to Wire's wilful, awkward bastard ethos they won't go far wrong.
Ladytron were terrific, but the crowd were largely static, in contrast to the last time they played Manchester. After a while, I got fed up and me and Rob moved to the only place where there was any motion (for most of the gig, about six people). The band interspersed songs from Witching Hour with their songs from their last two albums. On "International Date Line" in particular, Helen's vocals were spine-tinglingly good (sigh). The highlight of the set, and the song which provoked most pogoing, was "Seventeen", which I think they should have played towards the beginning of the set and not at the end.
And sorry, I forgot my camera so didn't get any photos
Me and my friend Rob met at the Cornerhouse, had a quick chat with Isabelle Croissant and then trooped off to Manchester University Union to see Ladytron.
We got stuck in a huge queue with a load of teenage girls, who were there to see the heavy metal racket in the hall below, but the queue cleared quickly and we were able to make our way to Academy 3 without much delay.
There was a merchandise stall at the top of the Union stairs. The band t-shirts were crap, which given the fact that Ladytron's image is aesthetically impressive is odd. As far as I am aware, they have NEVER produced a decent t-shirt.
Battant,the support band, were a threesome, two guys and a girl. The guitarist looked cool and confident but the vocalist and drummer looked as nervous as a pair of startled fauns. Worse still, the drummer had an egg shaped head, the likes of which little boys usually leave behind when they are seven, and an awful haircut. Musically, they were unexceptional Eurythmics style electropop.
I have a funny feeling the legendary, art-punk/new wave band WIRE may be Ladytron's favourite band. I say this because about nine of their songs, mainly from their first three albums, were played prior to Ladytron's arrival. Wire were great and if they stick to Wire's wilful, awkward bastard ethos they won't go far wrong.
Ladytron were terrific, but the crowd were largely static, in contrast to the last time they played Manchester. After a while, I got fed up and me and Rob moved to the only place where there was any motion (for most of the gig, about six people). The band interspersed songs from Witching Hour with their songs from their last two albums. On "International Date Line" in particular, Helen's vocals were spine-tinglingly good (sigh). The highlight of the set, and the song which provoked most pogoing, was "Seventeen", which I think they should have played towards the beginning of the set and not at the end.
And sorry, I forgot my camera so didn't get any photos