CLUB CHAMELEON ft GABRIELLE’S WISH / BOBBY PERU / SUNDAY INTERNATIONAL
MANCHESTER, LATE ROOM, 17.2.6

Smoking Gun

With a multi-cultural combination of band members, diversity in sound is expected and hoped for, and Sunday International take this principle to its extremes.  Maybe it’s the combination of Germanic & Yorkshire influences, but this lot avoid musical categorisation

The band deliberately avoids a homogenous distinct “sound” for their output, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  What we have is a group of (fluctuating) components which veers from the quirky, almost tweed numbers to the full on keyboards, guitars kitchen sink approach.  And does the band care?   Not in the slightest.  One number is introduced as “Traffic cone.  Probably just as dull as one, but we like it.”

Named after a character from a David Lynch movie (Wild at Heart) Bobby Peru also have international influences from the American vocalist Robert Genovese, to the forever Chameleons associated, Manchester legend, John Lever.    This time they do have a more rounded sound that envelops the set, providing a guitar dominated noise that fills the intimate venue.  The tall bassist – nicknamed Ding -avoids smacking his head on the ceiling whilst twisting his frame to ensure the low frequency rumbling probs all the corners.

“This equation no longer works” echoes the front man. Sometimes it does solve a problem though

As brutal as a concrete slab hurled from a block of high rise flats, Gabs Wish make an overdue re-appearance on the live scene.  With a new EP (Here from the neck down) to promote and LP to follow, their temporary hiatus is well and truly over.

Stage illumination is by way of a projector beaming a mixture of anonymous streets and shopping centres that could form any part of modern day urban life, but are probably from the Mile Platting/Collyhurst areas that the band members know well, blended with high tech squiggles and fractals in a Peter Saville abstract manner.

Silhouetted against the screen, vocalist Rob Corliss moves menacingly onto the stage.  With a cigarette in hand he grabs the mic stand, and you can see where one of the challenges against smoking in public places will be made.  His disconnected voice rumbles ominously as the hammering bass line ***body dnh rolls on.

Levity is not prevalent, and the animated writhing by Corliss resembles an ECT patient receiving treatment.  The intensity and frustration expressed by Corliss complements the anger in the music, that’s as bleak and as cold, wet, Manchester, night outside.

The new material on display retains the core vibrancy, yet is fringed with lighter touches supplied by Karen Leadham on keyboards/guitar.

Yet it’s Corliss with his head only visible, who focuses and holds the attention, even when he fires an unscripted salvo of “F*** off brain dead” to an unidentified audience member

“What am I to do” Corliss exhorts at one point. Keep making music like this, is one answer

Ged Camera - www.camera1.free-online.co.uk

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