Detroit Social Club - Moho Live Manchester - 05.2.11

I’ve heard nothing but good things about Detroit Social Club, and despite never having seen the five-piece before I am expecting a lot from tonight’s performance. And the band do not disappoint. It is easy to tar many a northern group with the same brush (and music critics have inadvertently, it seems, been doing so for quite sometime), especially if said band happen to sit somewhere along the indie spectrum; but to do so to Newcastle’s Detroit Social Club would be doing them a great injustice.

DSC specialise in their own unique brand of bluesy, psychedelic-tinged, slow-burning indie rock. They are certainly hard to pin down, a fact I gather just from witnessing tonight’s set at Manchester’s Moho Live. Within the space of three songs, I’ve picked up hints of Kasabian, Elbow, Stone Roses, and (perhaps erroneously) something of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme’s drawl in singer David Burn’s vocals. Having said that, Detroit Social Club do succeed in producing something many bands struggle with; a sound of their own. The band as a whole are incendiary, not to mention incredibly loud (not a complaint), making for a highly memorable night featuring some of the finest talent the north, and the UK for that matter, has to offer. Highlights include a blistering rendition of ‘Kiss the Sun’, opener of their 2010 debut album ‘Existence’ – in parts both epic and uplifting with ear-splittingly powerful drumming from David Green, ‘Kiss the Sun’ arguably wins the award for best chorus of the night. ‘Rivers and Rainbows’ is absolutely gorgeous, making good use of Burn’s impressive range of vocals. ‘Prophecy’, with its soaring vocals and quirky guitar hooks, momentarily gives me the impression of being caught somewhere between Woodstock and The Hacienda, which is by no means a bad thing. Brand new single ‘I Am Revolution’ tells of great things to come, brimming with soulful vocals and bluesy guitars. I greatly look forward to the band’s second album if gems such as this are anything to go by.

The appreciative audience here at Moho tonight would hopefully agree with my rather bold statement that Detroit Social Club are in the running for the UK band of the moment. And it’s just so good to know that there are still bands like this around today. As well as putting on a practically flawless performance (and making it look effortless), DSC are additionally one of the most hardworking bands around, touring extensively up and down the country for the next three months. So, really, you have no excuse for not going to see them, do you?

Ashley West

 


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