I’ve seen Arc Iris before. They’re definitely interesting and enjoyable to watch. Mixing multiple musical genres together to create their own unique sound. In some ways, they’re a Prog Rock band. Interested in exploring their own musical virtuosity at the expense of the ‘accessibility of their music’. Personally, I didn’t like everything they played, (or is on the album). But I’d rather listen to something that challenges my musical taste that’s done very proficiently, than just yet another bland indie band.

Arc Iris

Arc Iris

Arc Iris

St Vincent. How do you describe Annie Clark? (am I the only one who thinks her real name is a better name than her moniker?) Is she a musical genius or is she unhinged? I’m really not sure. I’ve never seen Prince perform. But I get the feeling, I would feel exactly the same as I did tonight watching him.

I have to admit, I have some of her albums. I find they contain many interesting ideas, I like her voice, and I think her guitar playing is great. But I don’t ‘love’ the albums. Tonight was similar (I think Prince would be the same).

St Vincent has complete control over her stage presence. Every move, every stroke of the guitar, her stage set, the lighting, everything, is controlled to create the vision St Vincent wants. It’s not surprising. Her videos always and album covers always have a very strong visual identity. Even the way she styles herself is designed to create a very clear ‘St Vincent’ brand. This control in the live arena both enhances and undermines the live experience. I know, I’m not making sense. I’m struggling to put into words my feelings of the evening. Maybe some photo examples.

St Vincent rocking out showing some of her amazing guitar skills – looking and sounding great

St Vincent rocking out showing some of her amazing guitar skills – looking and sounding great

Staged section where she kind of collapses down the stairs

Staged section where she kind of collapses down the stairs

I like a good tight show. But I like tight bands that can make music feel spontaneous. St Vincent choreographs her shows. Clearly the band around her are tight. But instead of using the tightness to create ‘spontaneous’ music. She creates staged moments that become the focus and in some way detracting from the music. It all adds to the ‘weirdness’ of St Vincent. Clearly enhancing her ‘brand’. But when you’re a really talented musician, do you need to have a brand? I’d put her guitar playing amongst the best I’ve seen this year. Her vocals are fantastic. She really is bloody talented. So I was left feeling cheated in some way. I think I’d rather see her and her band in a tiny club stripped of the stage presence and the choreography, with Annie Clark blowing me away with her awesome guitar skills. When you’re this talented, you don’t need gimmick.

Thankfully my mood was lightened late afternoon when I stumbled upon a line-up change at the Tube, Kill Moon who played an excellent set helped by the fantastic venue. (It really is a tiny tube in the Brighton sea wall)

After that things improved with an ‘off festival’ show featuring The Physics House Band, Slow Club and the Amazing Snakeheads, a band I failed to catch due to the long queues outside of the tiny Hope the night before.

The evening was closed off with some ‘knowns’, White Lung, a disappointing Mazes, an interesting performance from Arc Iris, a band who clearly listened to too much Frank Zappa and watching too many Yes performances. Finally my festival closed with Trans.

I managed to catch:

Josh Flowers and the Wild – great performance in the challenging Hub Tent

Hollie Cook – great voice

Gallery Circus – Energetic performance but the music didn’t work for me

Audience Killers – didn’t like the lead singer’s voice

Boy Jumps Ship – skater rock of the Biffy Clyro book of music. Exactly!

Kill Moon – great performance

The Physics House Band – sound like a complex equation imagined in music.

Slow Club – good performance, though fairly bland

Amazing Snakeheads – great live

Kieran Leonard – hard to judge. Singing unaided in a museum

Charlie Cunningham – as above

HSY – lots of energy and shouting. Great if you like that sort of thing. Personally not my cup of tea.

White Lung – not as pissed of as the first time I saw them, but still good.

Mazes – disappointed. Too much new material that doesn’t sound as interesting as their earlier material

Arc Iris – lots of really talents musicians living out the 1970s prog scene through the filter of Frank Zappa. Definitely a marmite band. I quiet enjoyed it. But I won’t rush out to see them again

Trans – sound issues aside, another great performance.