To end a triumphant week of gigs on Saturday (for a venue that made its name for putting on epic club nights two decades ago) is also capping New York’s Pains Of Being Pure At Heart commercial climb after years plugging the smaller venues in town.
Before hitting the heights of the commercial curve following the release of their sophomore LP earlier this year, ‘Belong’, TVB first caught the twee fivepiece in the basements of The Captan’s Rest and Nice ‘N Sleazys over two years ago – backed by an album that focused on the scuzzier end of the indie pop inspiration for the band, forming back in 2007.
After a number of years being lauded with critical acclaim, the release of their second album has proven a much stronger and braver brew of material. This has found much more dexterity in the slower numbers (“Even In Dreams”) and bombast in the larger tracks (“Heaven’s Gonna Happen Now”) without losing touch with their original sugar-spun pop foot-holdings.
Saturdays gig will be a culmination in the comfortable ascensions of an outfit that haven’t let hype effect unnaturally on their progression, or indeed their performances. You might even be lucky enough for a rare encore, they’ve certainly earnt a few in their time in Glasgow.
Support from Wake The President – a band we first caught supporting Pains nearly two years ago! Proper Glasgow Twee-antics!
Tickets – £12.50
If you’re only to break out the earplugs one night this week, Friday’s ear drum assault from Japan’s post rock perfectionists, Mono, is going to be of nuclear proportions.
Over the past decade, the outfit have scoured from a well founded basis of the genre before bridging the gap between modern day classical music and rock.
After thoroughly touring 2009’s ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’, complete with performances backed by a 24-piece chamber orchestra. Their Arches gig comes after a studio lead break working on new album material that, based on recent setlists, won’t be featuring any new material.
Not to fear – despite their exceptionally intricate soundscapes, MONO record ‘as live’ and the break from studio walls to an audience isn’t likely to translate the searing emotive highs and lows any less. Just make sure you’re ready to sacrifice some ear cells.
Support from Holy Mountain.
Tickets – £12.50
The New York three piece are a hectic blend of experience, forming in the early 00’s merging dieing strands of hardcore and alt rock to form an innovative time signature melting version of math rock.
Following the departure late last year of their guitar looper extraordinaire, Tyondai Braxton, the band focused on recording an album that breaches the walls of pop with a Technicolor sound in a way no math rock outfit has attempted to before.
One shining aspect of Battles live enslaught that similarly sets them apart from the often dull efficency of thier peers is the ferocious activity in drummer John Stainer. The punk origins of the percussionist are evident, but don’t detract from his precision amongst the carnage and the highlight of the stage view – a K-Ride cymbal poised and orbitting around his kit in all but unreachable distance.
There’s nothing to fear at a Battles gig, as long as you are willing to strap yourself in past the noodling and allow yourself to be tempted by the new album’s tracks on offer.