Review: Day One at Liverpool Sound City

Image: Liverpool Sound City

A voyage to Liverpool usually entails pitching up with a pint on Albert Dock, after breaking the language barrier to initially order it. Though it was Bramley Moore that stood as Liverpool's dock-to-be on the first day of Sound City, as grey murky skies over the Mersey appeared more Manc than Scouse. 

Still, it didn't rain, we weren't up to our knees in the Irish sea recalling scenes of Glastonbury 2005, and actually the traditional British assessment of the weather doesn't really matter when a spirited atmosphere is matched by a fine line of artists. Particularly when they are stockpiled across platforms ranging from a vast abandoned warehouses to an open-air main stage.     

The Baltic Stage, a warehouse that'd normally be inhabited by some sort of techno authority, proved to be a haven of guitar accelerated goodness where we first came across London trio Yak.

Flaunting their yet to be released Plastic People EP, the band launched into their unrelenting set that remained non-stop from start to finish, with spangled psych tinged instrumentals bridging the gaps from song to song. It's something we're very much an advocate of, more so when Yak are firing off all cylinders strumming cuts like the thumping of 'Hungry Heart', before simmering down with the sleaziness of 'Smile'.  

Tonight's gig in Sheffield has been cancelled. Last night I had an accident involving a kitchen knife and ended up in the hospital..

— Slaves (@Slaves) May 19, 2015

Unaccustomed to the news of Slaves' "Kitchen Knife" incident that subsequently meant they had cancelled (above), we watched on as two bearded men took to the stage. After googling "bearded men Liverpool Sound City" (we actually just asked them), it turns out it was Israeli foursome Tiny Fingers.

Immersing the stage in a chasm of atmospheric power rock, their set veered away from the brash punk as expected, but nonetheless an equal spectacle for the Baltic loyalists who remained defiant.

An impromptu nosey into the Cargo Tent was met by M.O mid-set, yet they only needed that to prize our coveted 'Stumbling upon an undiscovered band' accolade with a livened cover of City High's 'What Would You Do'. They rounded their set off with 'Preach', a track that'll no doubt pave their way into the mainstream, and probably more glamorous settings than a north west dockland. 

After M.O's ear cleansing, it was back into the Baltic for one of the most anticipated sets of the evening from Iceage. The Danish punk clique have been buzzing our radar ever since the release of Plowing Into The Fields Of Love, and they firmly justified the hype surrounding them with a raucous flutter through their swampy songbook.

A frantic performance saw drummer Dan crunch through as many as three sets of sticks, a cluster of unheard material announced to the world and frontman Elias levy his in your face presence for their flagship cut 'The Lord's Favourite'(above).

By now, the grey shroud had cleared, helped graciously by a brightly clad Manchester outfit Everything Everything and their gleaming box of new material that's been doing the rounds of every major radio wave of late.

 

Time for some #Everythingeverything at @liverpoolsoundcity #soundcity15

A photo posted by Skiddle (@skiddleuk) on May 22, 2015 at 1:10pm PDT

As punters began to perch on their early vantage points for the headliners, the bands newly found swagger set the tone for The Vaccines grand entrance with 'Distant Past'. Opening up with sing-a-long head bopper 'Teenage Icon', the four-piece's performance, powered on the buzz of the crowd, swayed through anthem after anthem, including their latest saunter 'Dream Lover', providing a fitting end to Sound City's jubilant opening at Bramley Moore Dock. 

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