Dry The River - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff - 18th April 2012 (Live Review)
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Written by Dave Ball
Having spent last summer working a festival schedule that took them through Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Green Man, Latitude and several others, by last Autumn ‘Dry The River’ were one of the most hyped bands around. Named by the music press as one of the bands to watch in 2012, they released their debut album ‘Shallow Bed’ to widespread critical acclaim in March and tonight's live show in Cardiff is the second night of a headline tour promoting it.
A three band showcase kicks-off with Dancing Years which I can’t see I take to particularly. There are long pauses between songs which cause distraction among the early arrivals and it’s all a bit messy. With half of the band switching between instruments ranging from brass to guitars to accordion, sometimes during the same song, it feels a bit like watching a jam session where they’re trying to flesh out ideas rather than deliver a fully coherent performance. There’s clearly talent here as they’re good musicians and the front-man has an excellent range to his voice, he reminds me of a shoutier Damien Rice. Quite a bit more polish and direction is needed before they can go any further though.
Second on the bill, and threatening to steal the thunder of the headliners, are Cut Ribbons. Despite not having a full record release yet their energetic set of songs immediately get heads nodding and feet tapping. There’s a solid groove provided by an excellent rhythm section, while the jagged guitars add a weight to their songs that set them apart from many of the other rising guitar bands. A dual male/female vocal contrasts nicely and you can see why they’ve been play-listed by Radio 1. Keep an eye out for these guys on smaller festival stages this year, there could be big things to come.
With the lights dropping and Michael Jackson playing over the PA (they’re big fans apparently), ‘Dry The River’ take the stage, opening with their next new single ‘No Rest’. It’s a statement to anyone who isn’t familiar with the band or what they do best. Building harmonies, over the top of an almost operatic rising and crashing sound, Peter Liddle’s vocals soar over the top of everything. The set is driven forward by Jonathan Warren’s drumming which is powerful and heavy on the bigger songs but equally subtle and delicate during the quieter moments.
With just one album it can be tough to maintain crowd interest but it’s a testament to the variation of ‘Shallow Bed’ that there’s no real lull at any point. The warm depth of their harmonies and epic layering of instruments continues through the likes of ‘Demons’ and the fabulous ‘History Book’ which starts tenderly before growing into a huge soundscape which feels restricted by such a small venue.
Despite describing himself as ‘crushingly hungover’, following the opening night party after the previous evening in Nottingham, Liddle’s range never really falters aside from the occasional crack. On ‘Weights & Measures’ they do away with microphones all together and the room falls eerily silent as the haunting vocal harmony floats around the room in a ghostly fashion. First single ‘New Ceremony’ is dedicated to an audience member's birthday, the band are prolific on Twitter which arguably gives them a head start on crowd interaction as many in the room feel an almost personal connection to the band before they even step on stage.
Advising us they’re shunning the usual encore charade of leaving and returning, something I wish more bands would do as I’ve always felt encores should be the exception rather than the rule, they finish the set with album closer ‘Lion’s Den’ which, along with ‘The Chambers & The Valves’, is almost a challenge laid down to the likes of Arcade Fire and Fleet Foxes. It’s a track which is already suitable for arenas and main stages.
Lots of ‘next big thing’ bands are all hype and little substance, ‘Dry The River’ are the exception to that particular rule. Despite being squashed into the ‘folk rock’ box by people who insist on fitting every band for one label or another, this is a band of rare quality in an over saturated scene. With a new set of Autumn dates announced, if you only see one new band this year make sure it’s Dry The River. I don’t expect you’ll get the privilege of seeing them in a small venue for much longer.
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A three band showcase kicks-off with Dancing Years which I can’t see I take to particularly. There are long pauses between songs which cause distraction among the early arrivals and it’s all a bit messy. With half of the band switching between instruments ranging from brass to guitars to accordion, sometimes during the same song, it feels a bit like watching a jam session where they’re trying to flesh out ideas rather than deliver a fully coherent performance. There’s clearly talent here as they’re good musicians and the front-man has an excellent range to his voice, he reminds me of a shoutier Damien Rice. Quite a bit more polish and direction is needed before they can go any further though.
