On Saturday night, Hull City Hall played host to Substance Live Festival – an event that showcased the future of northern music. A caveat of the night was the fact that all the performers were female, yet the festival wasn’t branded as a feminist affair. The ethos behind it all was that an all male lineup is no big deal, so why should an all female lineup be one.
Kicking the night off was The Dyr Sister, a folk loop pedal artist and talented viola player. Playing a variety of original compositions and innovative Christmas covers, the quirky performer produced a full-bodied, textured sound that was as engaging as it was impressive.
Just seconds after The Dyr Sister finished, the host instructed the room to spin around. A curtain dropped, revealing a second, larger stage. Sister Doom duo Chambers dominated the stage with their ballsy, aggressive brand of rock.
The highlight of their set was their track ‘Amazonian Queen’. Fuelled by suave vocals, ferocious guitar riffs and ebullient percussion, it gripped the room with a colossal wave of savage energy.
Switching back to the smaller stage, something creative, entertaining but bloody terrifying was in store.
Cue Lone Taxidermist.
Their music is designed to make you feel uncomfortable – it’s bizarre and hyper sexual. A group of faceless minions clad in latex terrorised the audience throughout the performance, which was unnerving yet hilarious.
From showering the room with whipped cream to provocative dancing and kinky lyrics, it’s safe to say that Lone Taxidermist is an acquired taste and you’re not going to forget them anytime soon. No matter how hard you try.
Following this weird and wonderful orgy, was Hannah Peel and the Tubular Brass Orchestra. Her distinct brand of ethereal pop is akin to a cosmic lullaby and her performance was utterly stunning. Ambient synth melodies were heightened by the brass orchestra, producing a monumental and beautiful sound that left the room breathless.
Up next was Mancunian indie-rockers PINS, showcasing their effortlessly cool tunes. Combining witty lyrics, energetic riffs, beefy bass lines and preppy synth, their sound is undeniably catchy and packs a herculean punch.
Their two stand-out tracks were ‘Girls Like Us’ and their latest single ‘Serve the Rich’. Both tracks emitted a suave energy that got the whole room moving.
Their sound is powerful, evocative and gritty and there’s a refreshing femininity at the heart of their music. They’re inspiring and charismatic and could very well be the saviours from the plinky-plonky rubbish that’s saturating the indie scene at the moment.
Nadine Shah then took to the stage, captivating the room with her deliciously dark and poignant music. Her low imposing vocals was paired with brooding bass lines, piping saxophone and rock guitar riffs, creating a distinctively urbane tone.
Alongside her stunning performance was a healthy dose of charming Tyneside banter. Shah showed the audience humour and honesty, leaving them clinging to her every word. She’s clearly a very genuine and warm person as well as an exceptional musician, and her compassion and activism for the refugee crisis is admirable.
Headlining the night was Jane Weaver, and in all honesty, she was disappointing. The vibrant graphics playing behind her were more engaging and left a greater impression than the performer herself.
Her latest album, ‘Modern Kosmology’, is a dynamic piece of work that deserves to be performed with vigour and Weaver’s performance was borderline robotic.
The execution of the music was fine (occasionally the vocals were a little flat), but considering how upbeat her music is, she had no rapport with the audience. She was reserved and showed no real character, which made her performance lackluster – especially after the other acts who had buckets of personality.
It was fine and pleasant to listen to, but the performance was just a bit hollow and bland. I say this with such a heavy heart, as ‘Modern Kosmology’ is one of the best albums of 2017 for me. I’ll happily buy any of her future albums, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see her live again.