Atmospheric variations of rose, green and deep blue lighting picked out the arrival of our main event. Liars are so close to our hearts, not only for their massive artistic stature but for the kindness and unfailing friendship they have shown us over the years. To see Angus Andrew arrive on stage in a smart white suit and amid the band’s introductory scene-building was an emotional moment, particularly given the large amount of appreciative cheers all round. To hear his opening cry of, “SUPERSWEET!” while calling up strange forces with an iconic fluttering of hands and blur of head movement, frankly put our neck-hairs on end with excitement.
What followed was, of course, a performance of continuously iconic and arresting imagery, full of rich moments that promise to remain vivid in the mind. Testament has to be given to visions of Angus holding outstretched his impossibly long arms and cantering on the spot, his trademark head-shaking and vociferous microphone devouring.
The band casts a spell that is unshakeable and tonight benefitted from the advantages afforded by an extra guitarist, Jarrett Silberman. Add to the immediacy of Julian Gross and Aaron Hemphill’s visual impact a distinctive sound that has claimed affection in much of the audience over years of listening. Liars undertook to bestow a river of rewards as natural and smooth flowing as it was tightly weaved. Along the ride, however, the Liars whipped up frenetic pace and crescendo with guitars, two sets of drums and echoing reverberation.
Attendees were duly treated to a long set bursting with favourite songs, including “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack” and one of this year’s best new releases, “Plaster Casts of Everything”. Angus is always one to draw in an audience and maybe it got to the point of almost being like church when he asked everyone to hug each other, but by this stage came everywhere in the crowd the realisation that whoever you were standing next to looked so damn hot right now.
Angus went on to reveal his message of the evening – and if we heard it correctly we assuredly could not have put it better: “It’s like… a magazine… trysting… through time… to freak out. They want to freak out… I know they want to freak out!”
Did we ever!
A fantastic show would not be complete of course without the chance to unwind in a fantastic aftershow. Tom Bellamy aka Rhysmix here produced a blinder on decks and took us into the smaller and messier hours of the next day.
You can also watch the full-length bootleg of Liars live HERE.
...for the entire library of photos by specific photographers.
Words: Alderson
Photography: Pavla Kopecna, Krittiya Sriyabhandha, Burak Cingi, Amy Gordon, Jason Glass, Mari Ohashi, Lameya Chaudhury, Liane Eltan, Debbie Roberts, Rachel Bevis, Emli Bendixen, Lucy Cox, Senay Sargut, Charlotte Feld