Gravenhurst / Pivot
Date: 7 May 2008
"Talbot's bluesy folk guitar sent mellow vibes across the room as couples joined hands and a gentle sway ensued."
Gabriel Green
On Wednesday summer finally arrived and it brought with it the ubiquitous topless builders, ice cream vans and most pleasingly of all two fantastic bands to the ICA. The crowd were drifting into the venue as I dashed down the Mall arriving just before our first act took to the stage.
Pivot are an Australian trio comprising of brothers Laurence (drums) and Richard Pike (guitar) and Dave Miller (laptop). Signed to Warp records and with their debut EP ‘In the Blood' out this month this seemed a great time to catch Pivot who are on the cusp of big things. Coming out and getting straight down to business Pivot showcased their strong sound with a great set. Opening with warped shuffling synths that gradually built up all the while being interwoven with truly dynamic guitar work before exploding into a wall of sound that set hearts racing and bones shaking. With great stage presence, notably Miller who twisted and tweaked the laptop like a fiend, Pivot were off and running in grand style. Drawing on a huge range of genres they mixed and meshed their music, creating sonic soundscapes that were at times sinister and foreboding and at other times beautifully delicate and melodic. Echoing drum rolls, guitar riffs and breaks scattered throughout broke the electronic tension before dubtronic basslines shook you from head to toe. Pivot held it all together with aplomb, never allowing the music to overwhelm but giving it space to breathe and grow organically. Combining the post punk new wave ethos of Talking Heads with the synth stylings of Jean Michel Jarre is no mean feat and Pivot certainly left the audience unsure of what was coming next but all the more exuberant for it. If you are a fan of bands like Fuck Buttons and Autechre or you just appreciate great new music then check out their myspace and be sure to pick up the new EP.
After Pivot we had a brief interlude, during which the crowd headed to the brand new ICA bar to refill their drinks and talk Pivot. Soon though the talk turned to the next band, Gavenhurst , who certainly had a sizeable following in the place. Their latest album , Western Lands, was released to great critical acclaim and while this often doesn't translate to sales and fans Gravenhurst look set to buck that particular trend after an absolute beauty of a show. Hailing from Bristol these four unassuming young men purvey a sound that is in the great English folk indie tradition. Lead singer and guitarist Nick Talbot was expertly assisted by Alex Wilkins (guitar), Robin Allender (bass guitar / synth) and Dave Collingwood (drums and cymbals). This music was beautifully simple and melodic with its shimmering cymbals and soft haunting vocals which created an itimate atmosphere inside the ICA. As Gravenhurst worked through their set they also showed the rock indie aspect of their sound; standout tracks for me included ‘Down River' which encapsulated the Gravenhurst style, both gentle yet urgent, and the storming ‘Hollow Men'.
In the midst of this Talbot endeared both himself and the band to us with dry and subtle banter, in one instance declaring "fuck this morose indie shit!" before later dedicating a wholly unsuitable song to "a very special lady...my mother". Gravenhurst had entranced the crowd and there was no chance of letting them leave without coming back for an encore. They certainly didn't disappoint with the poignant ‘Emily', dealing with heartbreak and all that it entails. Talbot's bluesy folk guitar sent mellow vibes across the room as couples joined hands and a gentle sway ensued. Having thanked us for coming out on a school night Gravenhurst left the stage to huge and much deserved applause; all in all a perfect end to a summer's day.
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