Coheed and Cambria + mewithoutYou + La Dispute @ The Ritz Manchester, 23rd August 2016
Sometimes there are bands that are worth the effort to go see and when Coheed and Cambria are supported by both mewithoutYou and La Dispute there was going to be no stopping me going to Manchester to catch two of my favourite bands. After travelling 3 hours from Birmingham in a very hot car I arrived at the Manchester Ritz, with barely any time to compose myself before the show I made way down towards the front to make sure I got a decent spot for the ever wonderful mewithoutYou. I had been lucky enough to catch these guys in Nottingham only a few days earlier and I was looking forward to my second dose of delightful weirdness from the men from Philly.
MewithoutYou took a few songs to really get into the swing things which is a shame because as a band they have so much to offer. They always play with such passion and energy but it was lost a little on the larger stage, it also didn’t help that not many people seemed to be that into it. I mean don’t get me wrong, there were a few fans in the audience tonight who were unabashedly bopping away, myself included but it just doesn’t match the energy created when they play their own shows. I do have a new favourite member of mewithoutYou though and that is drummer, I literally couldn’t take my eyes off him, he plays with such unbridled joy and passion its honestly so refreshing to watch even if he does play with his sticks the wrong way round. Now I’m not sure who this Timothy Hay is but my god do I love singing along to the song of the same name, its like an adult nursery rhyme and I just can’t help myself. What I love about mewithoutYou is just how they can’t be pigeon-holed, they are just of bunch of guys who place this weird but delightful blend of music that is almost impossible to describe and actually do the band justice! They close the set with ‘In a Sweater Poorly Knit’ and Aaron who is certainly in his element writhes around the stage ending the set on a high.
Its been a long time since I last saw La Dispute and I was happy to see that there were a fair few fellow fans in the crowd this evening so I wasn’t on my own singing along. Jorden Dryer is an unassuming frontman, a man of slight build with his t-shirt tucked into his trousers he presents himself as a shy and retiring guy. Things aren’t always what they seem though as he certainly belts it out in his unique staccato vocal style bursting with energy becoming the main focus of the next 30 or so minutes. The set leans heavily on their most recent release ‘Rooms of the House’ which is the first time I’ve heard the songs live, its a record that is best listened to as a whole but the choices of songs tonight do the record justice.
Again some of the intimacy of watching a band like La Dispute is lost when they play larger rooms like this and I will never begrudge a band of getting bigger but there’s something to be said for watching acts like these in tiny rooms. That being said Jordan certainly does his best to get himself involved with the crowd getting up and personal with the front few rows passing the microphone over for the fans down the front to have that moment of ecstasy that is singing back into the mic of your favourite band. Some of their songs are seriously hard hitting especially when it comes to ‘A Letter’, that one certainly hits home with its lyrical content. Its set closer ‘King Park’ that has the hairs standing up on the back of my neck though, its emotional and highly charged; a song that starts off slow before reaching tumultuous ending as Jordan screams the lyrics ‘Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?’. Its a song that has literally given me goosebumps. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they are pushing the boundaries musically and I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the band. Its also nice to see Jordan embrace a couple down the front who have literally sung along to every word, what a humble, down to earth guy.
Can we just take a minute to comment on how hot this venue is, I mean I’ve have been to a lot of gigs but this has to be up there with hottest, I have never sweat so much standing still and I’m really struggling to stay remotely comfortable.
Its obvious who everyone is here for tonight, I’ve never seen so much Coheed & Cambria merchandise being sported in one room, or band related tattoos for that matter. To say they have a die hard fanbase would be pretty apt and the roar from the crowd is immense as the band take to the stage. I think if Claudio was to just play a solo for an hour people would still be happy, thankfully they don’t do that, I do find it a bit odd that they would open with an acoustic song but hey, whatever floats your boat. I’m going to admit that by this point I am really struggling and starting to feel pretty sick and with the knowledge I still have to drive back to Birmingham I only manage to last about 30 minutes into Coheed & Cambria’s set.
Claudio’s hair is on another level this evening, the humidity and heat has increased it volume by something like 100% and I’m surprised it hasn’t developed its on gravitational pull. But enough about his hair (although it is majestic…) what I did manage to catch of the set I did enjoy, with these guys you’re pretty much always guaranteed a good show, they are truly are a bunch of talented dudes. Yes I did get to see the double headed guitar and yes I did witness Claudio play with his teeth but I’m weak, I can’t stand the heat so I have to give up and leave.
Was it worth the trip? Most definitely!
Review: Hannah Sebestjanowicz