Issue 104 / October 2019

REVIEWS
Anna Calvi (Michael Kirkham / @Kirks09)
“Birkenhead is a
place that hasn’t had
the confidence to
celebrate itself and
hasn’t even bothered
trying – until now”
Future Yard
Birkenhead – 23/08-24/08
As you stand at the ferry terminal at Woodside and gaze
across the water, Liverpool is mesmerising. Its iconography is
laid bare; the outlines of the buildings will forever be etched on
the minds of those who stare at them. It’s been the subject of a
thousand memoirs, the subject of a million photographs and a
billion conversations. Rightly so. The image is one of this planet’s
urban glories. But there’s more to it. More in the sense of the spot
in which you stand to view it, the place that allows this view to
be real. This place below your feet, behind your back: Birkenhead,
the downtrodden younger brother of the city. It’s a place that
hasn’t had the confidence to celebrate itself and hasn’t even
bothered trying – until now.
So, let’s begin and start the celebrations – here, at the
inaugural FUTURE YARD. Let’s provide an excuse to get
down here and do something other than revere the blindingly
beautiful architecture across the water. Let’s create a festival that
celebrates the area, the talent and the beauty that on the surface
seems to be gazing across the water and shrugging. Birkenhead
has already started the slow process of hauling itself upwards
with the recent run of gigs at Fresh Goods Studios, taking place
among the post-industrial buildings to the north of the vague
centre-point of the festival, around Hamilton Square.
Yes, this weekend is very much about the bands and artists,
but there is more to this fledgling gathering than meets the eye.
There’s yoga to help with the first night hangover as well as
screenings, talks, walks and installations. Well, one installation
that is stunning, relaxing and mindful. It’s called PYLON, a
collaboration between Forest Swords and The Kazimier, and
focuses on the transfer of energy between place and object. It
takes place in the Birkenhead Priory refectory, a stone’s throw
from the Priory Green and Chapel stages, yet worlds apart in aura
and atmosphere. As the sun sets, its true colours begin to show
as the lighting design contorts around the building’s fixtures. The
healing patterns chiming from the pylon-like structure complete
the momentary sanctuary found just yards from the industrial
centre of Cammell Laird, the once mighty shipyard.
But, it’s the acts that take centre stage. Friday sees Wirral’s
very own BILL RYDER-JONES perform an impromptu piano-only
set in the crushed confines of the Priory Chapel. With a capacity
of hardly anyone (and the desire of almost everyone to see it), the
tech crew are beavering hard to ensure the folk outside can hear
Bill do his thing, which is moan here and there and play his softly
melancholic piano vignettes to a rapt throng. Bill swigs his beer,
smiles, shakes his fist at God and bowls the tightly packed chapel
over with his fragile talent.
BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD are a wonderful, shambolic
mess. Too many members are bumping into each other on the
packed Priory Stage, but the crowd are won over by erratic
saxophony and Black Midi-style free jazz. Props also go to the
wonderful JOHANNA SAMUELS, whose beautiful Americana
singer-songwriter lilt brightens up the handful of curious folk
padding out the Chapel.
The new Bloom Building is now packed as the anticipation
and vibes of curiosity are reaching fever pitch. SQUID set up their
instruments and then just start. Currently the darlings of most
London A&R departments, Squid play for about 10 minutes. It’s
more, obviously, but they cram so much in so quickly that it feels
like they were hardly here. Perhaps they shouldn’t have changed
the bonkers screaming of Houseplants to a more weary yelp, but
The Cleaner is such a splendid bout of indie-pop nuttiness that
no-one seems to mind. There’s a mosh pit, too, and a piece of
Birkenhead bay driftwood surfing the crowd. It’s all rather nice to
witness.
Passing to see the end of the brilliant DIALECT in the chapel,
all drones and glitch peace, the highlight is an extended play
from our very own Bill Ryder-Jones in full band mode, in the
Town Hall. Welcomed onto the stage like a returning war hero,
this is a slightly nervous but commanding return home. Bill
swigs his beer, smiles, shakes his fist at his mates and bowls the
tightly packed Town Hall over with his massive talent. Opening
with Mither and And Then There’s You from Yawn and ending,
obviously, with Two To Birkenhead, this wonderful listed building
has the roof taken off by the power and love for West Kirby’s
finest. Simply a joy, and not just the performance, the whole day
gets the nod of approval.
At 20 past the witching hour at the aforementioned Bloom
Building, the best new band in Britain amble on. SCALPING are
from Bristol and they have never heard of Birkenhead until this
booking, but they are quite simply incredible. Their fusion of postrock
grooves, techno bass and industrial dance darkness may not
be ‘nu’, but a 40-minute set of eye-bleeding visuals and machine
guitar abuse is more than enough to sate the hunger after Ryder-
Jones’ introspection. Scalping end on the anthemic Chamber and
this writer cries a really tiny bit. What a way to end the most
wonderful day.
If one wakes up on the weird side, one must learn the
Lo Five (Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk)
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