Joyce Manor | ‘We aim to please…’
On the back of 2018’s Million Dollars to Kill Me, Torrance, California’s JOYCE MANOR deliver an energetic performance at the Key Club in Leeds. Review: FARRON MULLEN
Joyce Manor enter the Key Club‘s intimate space to muted applause and quiet acknowledgement. Singer Barry Johnson makes his way to the mic, his shaved hair and thick rimmed glasses striking a stark contrast from his earlier Emo days; a mark of maturity you could say.
A too-cool-to-clap vibe emanates from the teen to twenty-something crowd, but after a seismic start, the ice soon thaws. 2016’s Fake ID stands out early on, its stylish pop commanding outstretched arms which flow back and forth like a tide.
The crowd shout, more than sing, along to the curiously upbeat melancholy of the song’s tribute to [Brandon Carlisle], late drummer with Wyoming’s Teenage Bottle Rocket.
Johnson is incredibly mobile, making full use of the stage; his energy is reciprocated by the lively crowd. Bassist Matt Ebert remains rooted to the spot in an almost trance-like state except when called upon for backup vocals duties.
The band aims to please, their melodic mix of punk-pop and Emo is delivered with a kind of punchy style and short duration. The set-list is sizeable, culled from across the Californian’s five album back-catalogue.
An encore featuring requests from the crowd is a humbling and personal end to the night. A bellowing voice calls out Leather Jacket. It receives the best reception of the night. Even the head-bobbers and idle bystanders get caught up in the energy that sweeps the crowd, wrapping up another electric performance.
Joyce Manor tour continues. Details here.
Ist Ist reviewed on Culture Vulture