Liz Green at Deaf Institute, 5 April 2012

09 June 2012 by · Write a comment · Categories: manchestertaper · Tags: ,
Liz Green at Deaf Institute 2012-04-05
photo courtesy of Hey! Manchester

A lot has been written about Liz Green; mostly focusing on her quirkiness, eccentricity even, and how she’s been slowly gaining traction in her home of Manchester.

The latter is certainly true – Liz has been on the collective manchestertaper radar for only a little while, and it was only by good fortune that we were here at tonight’s show.  The venue was absolutely packed, much to Liz’s genuine surprise (“wowsers!  I told them that this venue was far too big!”).

To some extent the former is also true – no-one could accuse Liz of being conventional, although from tonight’s set it is obvious she is not being deliberately obtuse, merely it’s just how she is.  Liz gave us an insight into her formative influences with her opening cover of Son House’s Grinnin’ In Your Face, working her way from blues through light jazz to folk.

It was a mesmerising evening, and we look forward to catching Liz again in the future.  Special thanks to Howard for helping facilitate this recording; we hope you enjoy it!

Stream “Midnight blues”:

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Download complete show: click preferred format: mp3 or flac

Setlist:
Grinnin’ in your face
Help the aged
Come into my arms
Midnight blues
Luis
Rybka
Hey Joe
Who killed cock robin?
[new song]
The quiet
Displacement song
Rag & bone
Bad medicine
French singer
Gallows

If you download and enjoy this music we would fully expect you to support the band by buying their records and attending their gigs. Liz’s official website is here and O, Devotion! can be purchased here.

Arthur Rigby & the Baskervylles at Deaf Institute, 20 April 2012

02 June 2012 by · Write a comment · Categories: manchestertaper · Tags: , , ,
Arthur Rigby & the Baskervylles, Deaf Institute
photo by manchestertaper

“Orchestral pop” as a descriptor can cover a multitude of sins and is usually shorthand for an approach that involves smearing unimaginative arrangements over uninspired songs in the hope of obscuring the mediocrity at their core. So Manchestertaper didn’t know quite what to expect when the Baskervylles (and their fictitious Arthur Rigby) brought their 5-piece line-up to the Deaf Institute to support the magnificent Miserable Rich last month.

We needn’t have worried. The band sweep and swagger between arrangements that can be sparse and stark or full-bodied and infused with high drama but which, crucially, never detract from the vital songs that they envelope.

Benjamin Hatfield’s voice is an instrument of rare power and subtlety: soaring but never overwhelming and pleasingly at odds with his unassuming plaid-shirt-and-beard image. But it would be unfair to single out any band member for special praise here: performances like these exist on a knife-edge and require each performer to be perfectly attuned both to the song and their fellow musicians. We think they acquit themselves admirably – have a listen to their eight-song set and decide for yourself.

Stream “While Away”:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download complete show in mp3 format (click here)

Download complete show in FLAC format (click here)

Setlist:

While Away
Spies
Moonlit Strangers
Ode to Gog
Fly Far Away
Nine Silver Rings
Follow
White Houses

If you download and enjoy this music we would fully expect you to support the band by buying their records and attending their gigs. Arthur Rigby & the Baskervylles’ official website is here and their current EP can be purchased here.