It’s been a long three years. I have just completed a degree in music at the University of Leeds and, while getting to know this most versatile of cities, my band, venue and gig education went through the roof. Playing in a pop-folk band, learning the stresses of hosting and promoting my own gigs and spending hours (nay, days, weeks, months!) of listening to as many different artists as possible, not only do I now know my Dylan from my Daedelus, I can talk about it all until the cows come home. The Leeds music scene is currently one of the most progressive of the Northern cities, and I love doing anything I can to encourage and promote it.
In short: Hello, I’m Marianne. I’d like to show you some bands and some shows that are a bit off the beaten track. Hopefully you’ll like them and want to listen to them again.
To kick off lets start with Ganglians; or, the epitome of the summer revival coming out of California for 2010, transported this Saturday night (26th June) to Leeds’ most cooler-than-thou venue, the Brudenell Social Club. Beach Boys-inspired, laid back, garagey pop is big news, and cheap toy instruments can help almost any musician’s wall of sound intensify over the layers of lightly strummed distorted electric guitar. It’s wonderful.
If you like your pop music dreamy, packed to the rafters with dense, gorgeous harmonies and heaps of reverb, go for Ganglians. It feels like taking a toy piano and swimming underwater with it. The effect is otherworldly, ethereal, strangely beautiful – and perhaps a little pretentious.
Not that this is a bad thing; the music might be strange, but it’s just as twee, and is very accessible. Not only that, the four-piece are excellent musicians and their use of manipulative technology live on stage is great to watch. Its visual intensity only encourages the wall of noise to completely envelop, providing an intense experience lesser musician mortals could only dream of creating.
The almost-simultaneous releases of EP ‘Ganglians’ and LP ‘Monster Head Room’ showcase the variety of synth- and surf-pop on offer. Standout tracks spread over both releases; check out ‘Hair,’ ‘Candy Girl’ and ‘100 Years’ for spooky, distorted goodness. It’s well placed to blow your proverbial hipster mind, man.
This is the only Northern date in Ganglians’ mini-tour, and, whether you’re a fan of Pitchfork Magazine or not, they are radiating dangerous levels of cool in terms of the Awesome Bands to Casually Name-Drop club. Most importantly, tickets are only a fiver in advance (and £7 on the door). Get your tickets here and if you’re unfamiliar with the Brudenell you can find it here. Support comes from Leeds locals The Pablos, of whom Lauren Laverne is a fan. For fans of contemporary pop and fantastical live experience alike, this is definitely one not to be missed.
Ganglians
Brudenell Social Club
Saturday 26th June 2010