Wharf Chambers, Leeds (11 Sept 2021) and Carnival Brewery Liverpool (12 Sept 2021).
The two cities in question are Leeds and Liverpool. Other than the eponymous canal twixt these urban centres we have two Liverpool Psychedelic Society gigs with the same headliner - Heavy Salad - on a Saturday and Sunday in September.
The Liverpool Psychedelic Society provided its usual ambience of background Psych music between the bands and a stunning low level light show that shows what you can achieve with no money and a creative eye. Thee Lucifer Sams also played both gigs but its not on to review the band you’re playing with (we do have some rules at Last Stop Sounds).
The Wharf Chambers in Leeds gig was opened by Bedroom Vacation. They produce dreamy full on shoe gazing psych pop and I reckon they’d be proud of that description. There’s two guitars, two voices, backing tapes and a wall of gorgeous sound emanating from them. Sometimes you can pick out different influences such as mid 80s OMD (the pop era version of the band), there’s hard almost New York Disco beats from the drum machine and all this mixes in with the highly layered, would sound great in a Cathedral, melodic psych.
We jump to the Sunday and the psychedelic gathering is at Carnival Brewery which looks stunning bathed in colours and shifting light patterns. Dominic Lewington is has brought a full band together for the first time in around 10 years he says. The aptly named Dominoes are fresh from the rehearsal room and playing this bands first gig. Its a revelation, they are sharp, tuneful. catchy and deep at the same time. They don’t start off weak but they do definitely shift up a gear a few songs into the set. Sharp rhythms and rock star personas fill the stage while Dominic keeps the intelligent and thoughtful lyrics propelling it all.
Heavy Salad then. They headlined both events and the Leeds gig reintroduced me to their garage but big sound. Excellent drums, fat sounding bass, guitars flying in and nearly everyone seems to sing including the ‘Priestesses’ who back the band with powerful bluesy roar of voices. The Leeds gig is great, the band a blur of colour and sound that never lets up.
Something happens to Heavy Salad between the Saturday and the Sunday, it’s hard to figure out but on the Sunday the already great band suddenly explode in a triumphant roar of musical excellence. I suddenly realise a couple of songs into their set that I’m watching one of those moments all gig goers crave, a moment where a band supersedes all expectations and reaches new levels. Everything was right about this gig, the bands performances, the lush layering of instruments and voices, sharpness and great sound. It’s on my list as a ‘gig of the year’ already.
Words and Photos: RBY
Heavy Salad Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heavysaladsounds
Heavy Salad Bandcamp: https://heavysalad.bandcamp.com/
Bedroom Vacation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bedroomvacationband-110787514525218
Dominoes: Sadly we can’t find an online presence for Dominoes, if anyone knows please tell us.