Thumper | Physique Water | Lifeless Cherry
Evening And Day, Manchester
October sixth 2022
There appears to be a endless stream of recent expertise rising from Eire at current and no matter inventive elixir they’ve been placing within the water, noisy Dubliners Thumper have clearly been supping a lot. With their debut album Delusions Of Grandeur producing opinions starting from constructive to downright hysterical, tonight affords the prospect to see how the hype interprets reside within the intimate setting of Evening and Day.
Participating Mancunian trio Lifeless Cherry begin issues off with their punky tales of political intrigue, ingesting and being skint, backed by searing guitar, pounding rhythm part and suggestions aplenty. There are de rigueur hints of The Fall’s affect within the half-spoken, half-sung vocal supply, however they’re removed from being copyists. Undoubtedly, ones to look out for.
It’s as if Halloween has arrived early as Cerys and Eli from Physique Water take the stage scantily clad in black, to ship their intriguingly gothic and macabre ditties about dastardly plots, homicide and ghosts. And it seems the gremlins are out in power tonight. A damaged string throughout Lifeless Cherry’s sound examine, a false begin for Physique Water as a result of a silent guitar then a chronic look forward to the headliners with a lot toing and froing across the mixing desk, leading to a barely hurried set.
When proceedings finally get underway with opener Topher Grace, a brooding litany of self-loathing, it’s well worth the wait. Adopted by the catchy 25 which describes the onset of a untimely mid-life disaster, Thumper current a sonic barrage with three guitars, two drummers and bass. The key to their sound is that they always remember the melody; a wall of noise interlaced with indelible earworm hooks and choruses. The impact is accomplished by the frenetic presence of the band, directly completely unchoreographed however extremely participating, with fixed movement on stage and guitarists comfortable to wander into the gang to take a look at the sound or just mingle.
We’re introduced with an extra trawl by means of the highlights of the debut album with Grasping Guts slowing the tempo adopted by the manic nightmare depth of Overbite. Frontman Oisin Leahy Furlong may hardly look much less like a standard rock star dressed as he’s in denims, boots and a Matrix t-shirt, however he nonetheless calls for consideration with the ferocity of his efficiency and the humour of his interactions with the viewers. He definitely shows no signal of the aforementioned ‘delusions of grandeur’, referring to the “twenty 5 folks from Manchester” in attendance as he introduces album opener Concern Of Artwork. The disappointing turnout is definitely no reflection of the expertise on show. Manchester is a should play vacation spot for established bands, however with a lot competitors, there’s at all times the hazard that up and coming acts will go underneath the radar and Thumper deserve higher.
Because the curfew is pushed again later and later, The Loser, a brief however not so candy examination of worthlessness, hints at a recurring theme of songwriter’s impostor syndrome; “I can’t relate to half my songs, who provides a lonesome fuck”. Don’t fear Oisin – we do. We’re then handled to the deceptively sugar-coated pop of (You’re Bringing Me) Down because the brief set attracts to an in depth and other people begin to drift off to catch the final practice from Piccadilly.
Thumper have hit on a fascinating system – songs of overwhelming self-doubt delivered with swagger and confidence; vulnerability behind an impenetrable protect of sound. Which is the veneer and which the truth is anybody’s guess. Both means, it is going to be fascinating to watch how the band now progress musically and lyrically while sustaining that leading edge. With a method which isn’t a lot about virtuosity, however extra a collective aural bombardment, the signature soundscape is firmly established and there will likely be higher freedom to experiment additional. As Oisin’s songwriting thus far has been primarily inward-looking, there’s an entire world on the market to dissect along with his acerbic outlook. Suffice to say, they’re destined to play in entrance of a lot bigger Mancunian crowds as soon as the phrase is out.
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All phrases by Robin Boardman. Extra writing from Robin on Louder Than Conflict will be discovered at his creator’s archive
