Review of: Gravenhurst at The Cube Bristol 15 September 2006

5/5 (minimum 1)

by PeteJ on 10 Nov 2006

Given the combination of possibly my second favourite currently active Bristol-based band playing at probably my favourite Bristol venue, this was never really going to disappoint. It's an early start (band on first, followed by film later - only at The Cube!), but by 9pm the bar is heaving, the Zywiec is flowing, and excitable boys are eyeing the entrance to the, ahem, auditorium in anticipation of a rush for the front row seats.

It's the first time I've seen Gravenhurst (in their Sonic Power Trio incarnation) in nearly a year. It's much the same set as I recall from the last time (album launch, Fiddlers, October 2005), i.e. most of the "Fires..." album plus a couple of older songs, and tonight one new one, but the experience of a year spent touring is evident in the confidence of their performance.

The opening one-two of "Down River" and "The Velvet Cell" is as thrilling as ever. "See My Friends" teeters on the brink of turning into a terrifying hybrid of "Dazed and Confused" and "Moby Dick" ((Nick on Dave: "As the hair gets shorter, the solos get longer. We had no idea when he was going to stop") but instead is fabulously psychedelic. They close with "Black Holes..." with all pedals tweaked to eleven. It's a glorious, propulsive racket.

They leave without an encore 'cos really there's nothing more to be said. Super.

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Gravenhurst at The Cube Bristol 15 September 2006

Tags: bristol cube event folk gig krautrock music noise postrock psychedelic