Issue 53 / March 2015

36
Bido Lito! March 2015 Reviews
Local four-piece HOLY THURSDAY make for
an impressive prelude to the headliners. With
luscious, two-part vocal harmonies laid over
infectiously rhythmic melodies, and off-kilter
organ parts, it is hard not to be drawn in. Their
Beatles-esque vocal parts add a lightness to
what is otherwise a dark, swaggering sound,
serving as breaks for the long, cyclical jams.
She stands out as a good example of the
band's aesthetic, encapsulating both the raw
clarity of songwriting and expressive use of
psychedelic convention (a phrase which may
seem incredibly contradictory) that has made
their performance tonight so enjoyable. They
will be a hard act to follow.
Considering Paperhead had to cancel a
show in London the night before due to
some vehicle difficulties, you’d imagine
that they would be raring to go tonight.
However, the band seem somewhat
subdued and reluctant; perhaps a hangover
of disappointment still permeates the
group after having to abandon what would
probably have been the biggest gig on this
leg of the tour. This lack of motivation soon
spreads to the crowd, and there are a number
of indifferent faces gradually moving towards
the back of the Hold where they can drink
and talk without having to pay too much
attention to the band. Regardless of all this
the songs still emerge, and there is far from
anything lacking in the way the Trouble In
Mind-signees sound. They appear more full
and aggressive live than on record, with the
vocals sinking lower in the mix and the other
instruments gaining prominence. Do You Ever
Think Of Me? is a well-crafted and engaging
track that could have been penned by Ray
Davies, and exhibits the group's well-honed
songwriting dynamic, as well as their clear,
musical ability.
Towards the end of the set things become
a bit more lively, and those on stage seem
to be coming to terms with the previous
night's debacle. It has been a restrained
but still enjoyable performance, but it’s
probably reasonable to predict that most of
the audience will head home with the words
“Holy Thursday” resonating more in their
brains than a head full of paper.
Alastair Dunn
Your Bag?
Catch Purling Hiss @ The
Shipping Forecast on 24th March
NILS LOFGREN
Philharmonic Hall
In the pantheon of rock and roll's great
backing bands, there are few that can lay
claim to being as widely respected as the
Nils Lofgren (Stuart Moulding / @OohShootStu)
inimitable E-Street Band. Alongside The
Bad Seeds, The Wailers, The Band and,
indeed, Crazy Horse, The E-Street Band have
proven themselves time and again to be
an indispensable cadre, remaining humble
in the line of duty and doing their utmost
to allow the headline act to shine. They
receive few plaudits from the outside world
and bask in a slightly more reflective glow,
but their contribution is undeniable
As a solo artist, NILS LOFGREN never
reached the heights of the stages he was
used to playing alongside Springsteen.
Beginning his career with Grin and
continuing to release under his own name,
he has, over the years, garnered a strong
and loyal fan base, evidenced by the nearcapacity
Philharmonic Hall tonight. Opening
the show at the harp, Lofgren proves
himself to be a charismatic performer.
Shrouded in darkness, his ageing – but just
as strong – voice resonates throughout
the theatre, complementing his deft harp
playing. Performing alongside multiinstrumentalist
Greg Varlotta, Lofgren’s
show runs through his own musical history,
all accompanied with anecdotes that would
impress anyone: the time Janis Joplin got
him drunk underage; how he shoehorned
a polka beat into Southern Man aged 17;
and the story behind his impromptu – and
now renowned – solo in Because The Night.
Though a capable enough songwriter in his