The Low Anthem

The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 6/10/09.

Wanted to see this band, a three piece from America who play 'folk rock'. Mainly because I like their album and the are reportedly multi-instrumentalists and all swap during shows. Only ever been to the Deaf Institute a couple of times and like the venue a lot, it holds about 300 say but has a balcony viewing and a seating area at the back. This night for some reason I chose to go up onto the balcony which overlooks the sage left. It's a good view from here too looking over the stage, small as it is. First band on were a folky five piece who filled the stage, they were ok but again didn't catch their name.

I liked the view from the balcony as it allowed me to have a different perspective of the band. It seemed to take an age for the LA to set up, considering they didn't have a huge amount of equipment. Unfortunately I had a couple of (younger) guys stood to my right who were talking to each other about great gigs/bands they'd seen. One idiot was saying how great Led Zep were at Glasto...... 3/4 years ago???? and how good Moon was when he'd seen the Who. All this rhetoric bollocks started to get on my nerves. I had to eventually chip in and ask exactly what year did Zep play? he stumbled to an admission he saw Page play an acoustic set (arsehole) I asked how old he was, 26, so how come you saw Moon who died 5 fuckin' years before you were born (arsehole). I was actually quite pleasant to the two young guys considering and chatted to them for a while as LA came on. Moral of the story don't talk rhetoric bollocks within my earshot.

The Low Anthem started to a now packed venue. They rattled through a few numbers off their album. They then introduced on stage their ex-founder member! They did swap round instruments a fair bit which was interesting. For some reason though I couldn't get excited about them. They played a lot of early unknown stuff with their 'ex member'. The crowd seemed to really enjoy them but I felt it all a little flat.

There could be combination of factors for this, a different view, I couldn't see the whites of their eyes. Arseholes to my right and keeping an eye on the time so as not to miss the last train home.