Ist Ist
Amsterdam Melkweg
nineteenth September 2022
Ist Ist headed out on their first ever European headline dates final week, beginning in Hamburg, earlier than culminating on the Publish Punk Strikes Again competition in Porto on the weekend. We caught up with them at a sold-out Melkweg in Amsterdam. They confirmed that their music is crossing borders and making connections while politicians try to shut them down.
The Dutch love Ist Ist. Their Rotterdam V11 present the evening earlier than their Amsterdam debut offered out in seconds. This pressured them to placed on a second present at Rotown, which additionally offered out inside a day. Tonight’s present within the upstairs room of the legendary Melkweg, and can also be offered out. The ready checklist was lengthy sufficient that solely a pre-booked drum n bass evening prevented an improve to the bigger Oude Zaal venue.
Why are Ist Ist promoting out the most important venues they’ve performed thus far exterior of Manchester? They’re constructing an viewers organically again residence within the UK, promoting out the likes of Camden Barfly, Bristol Louisiana, and Nottingham Bodega weeks prematurely on their final tour in assist of their prime 100 album The Artwork Of Mendacity. Nevertheless nothing on the dimensions of those sell-outs. However why have the Dutch taken to them? The reply is a straightforward one. Expose folks to nice music and other people will gravitate to it instantly. They’ve confronted the battle that each one unbiased artists do again residence, of circumventing the business’s gatekeepers to get to an viewers that has a pure affinity and love of this model of music.
While Manchester has a broad numerous church of music, previous and current that’s rising by the yr, it can at all times be identified greatest for the darkish guitar music, that initially sight may seem morose and monotone, however which acts as a joyful launch. A celebration of being an outsider and that it’s undoubtedly OK to be totally different and people emotions of not becoming in usually are not distinctive. Ist Ist are the newest band to step into that breach. They’ve offered out exhibits in Germany on this run too. By the tip of the third album, until one thing drastic occurs again within the UK, we suspect they’ll be larger right here than at residence.
So the Netherlands? There’s 250 folks on this room determined to witness them. The anticipation because it nears stage time is placing. The respect and love afforded to them is so sturdy. The sense was comparable in Rotterdam the evening earlier than. And the reply is a straightforward one. The foremost Dutch indie station Kink FM, assume XFM earlier than the cash males, picked up You’re Mine by probability. They put it on heavy rotation and have championed them ever since. And that is the end result. That’s typically the distinction between a fantastic band discovering its full viewers and fulfilling its potential and remaining a secret worshipped by a couple of within the know. And Ist Ist, as they’ll show over the following seventy-five minutes, are a fantastic band.
With two albums beneath their belt and a 3rd to come back subsequent yr, Ist Ist have a very wealthy vein of songs from which to decide on their setlist. They usually give an adoring respectful Dutch viewers a taster of every file. They begin with Stamp You Out, a racing certainty to be a single if viewers reactions to it are something to go by, and it’s Ist Ist rediscovering a few of their roots as a loud three-piece, however with the knowledge and management that comes with expertise. One other new music All Downhill From Right here has that very same vibe to it, however the different two – Mary In The Black And White Room and Trapdoors – display that they’re persevering with to push the envelope sonically. The previous has an epic high quality to it, while Trapdoors with its chorus of Adam repeating “too caught up in it” like a mantra to an viewers. They’re clapping alongside to a music they’ve by no means heard earlier than, that’s going to be a surefire set-closer and perennial dwell favorite.
The remainder of the set is met with common adoration by the Dutch viewers. There’s little chatter, no shouts for private favourites, simply consideration and listening. Whether or not or not it’s the extra delicate moments in Ist Ist’s catalogue like Heads On Spikes or Wolves, the anthemic likes of Black, Emily and Excessive Greed, the blunt hammer blow of It Stops The place It Begins and Slowly We Escape or the immediacy of You’re Mine, individuals are targeted on the stage. Some have eyes closed mouthing alongside. Some have arms within the air clapping alongside. every one is connecting in their very own particular person method with the 4 of them.
The band are nonetheless shocked that they’ve stuffed these rooms. They’re exceptionally appreciative and Andy lets them know at a number of factors within the set. The band seem like they’re having fun with it too. It have to be a dream to be so removed from residence, uncertain what to anticipate, and be met by one of these response as sold-out indicators have been hanging on the posters since shortly after the exhibits have been introduced. The busy queues on the merchandise desk inform their very own story too.
2023 goes to be a important yr for Ist Ist. They’ll undoubtedly be again right here in larger rooms. With the third album due early within the yr, units like these will stand them in good stead to make the following step up again residence within the UK. The problem is to get folks to listen to them or see them dwell as a result of as soon as they’ve, the battle has been received.
Ist Ist performed Stamp You Out, Fats Cats Drown In Milk, Watching You Watching Me, All Downhill, Self-discipline, A New Love Track, Emily, The Waves, Mary In The Black And White Room, Center Distance, Heads On Spikes, It Stops The place It Begins, Black, Trapdoors, Wolves, Excessive Greed, You’re Mine and Slowly We Escape.
~
Ist Ist are on Fb and Twitter. They play Porto Publish Punk Strikes Again Once more on Saturday, September twenty fourth and Manchester O2 Ritz on March thirty first, 2023
All phrases by David Brown. Extra from David on Louder Than Conflict may be discovered right here and he’s additionally the editor of Even The Stars.
Picture credit – Jack Parker (All Issues Loud)
