Music and art are effectively siblings. Born of the same parents, Lady Creativity and Señor Expression, they’re bound for life. You only have to think as far as the significance of album artwork, film scores or them bleedin’ Disney musicals.
So it makes perfect sense when DIY outfits like Manchester-based label Babyboom Records team up with the Free For Arts Festival after their successful outing last October. An underlying theme of not-for-profit, they’re hosting free monthly events of live music and interactive art.
Arriving out of the dampness, we’re ready to warm up in the confines of the downstairs hub of Northern Quarter drinkery, The Bay Horse. Pool table shifted, furniture rearranged to provide the focus on the awaiting backline; the room surprises us as to how well it looks set to accommodate a live gig.
For some reason or other, Hyacinth Girl haven’t shown up tonight. A pity, but like the ever-optimist Meatloaf said, ‘two out of three ain’t bad’. And you wouldn’t argue with the big man, would ya?
The openers’ absence grants a substantial chunk of time to fill then. At most other unsigned band nights, attendance may have dropped rapidly through boredom. But that’s where the beauty of the Free For Arts folk comes into to play. Scattered on tables and adorning the walls are sheets of paper, screaming ‘Draw on me!’. Don’t mind if we do…
I realise I haven’t actually done any freeform drawing in a good while, and quickly surrender without sketching so much as half a rhinoceros. Instead I opt to admire the works of others; a tattoo-worthy flying dragon, an accurate human caricature and a horse that quickly gets its lower half crudely vandalised. Ahhh, reminds me of history class.
This doodle session allows that time gap to fly by, and before we know it Mountains Became Machines are gearing up. I’ve worn two pairs of socks in a wise move to counter the doomed combo of dilapidated Converse and the puddles I will invariably step in tonight. MBM rock both soaking wet pairs off regardless.
The local quartet have been knocking around for a few years now, but with this current set, they seek to grab a bit more attention. Playing what I believe to be the 3-track 30-minute EP ‘Paths’ (borrowed before I had the chance to put it on my iPod, still to return), there’s a ceiling-raising barrage of gargantuan riffs. The first number is so mighty that Mastodon could nick it and they’d be back on ‘Leviathan’ form.
There’s your standard post-rock comparisons such as Explosions In The Sky, but with that added metal afterthought. The middle track slows things down, letting our eardrums ease up a little. More restrained builds, rising and bursting into life whenever it feels like – the conventional ‘quiet/loud’ divide crossed with patience and aplomb. The crowd is almost entirely captivated, and deserved applause follows each 10-minute epic (an overused term, but in this case, highly appropriate).
Last time I saw MBM they had a white backdrop with projected video accompanying their set. Tonight, I only clock the off-centre screening as the credits roll, but I was too busy watching the band in any case. The visuals flowed well previously, so there’s no reason to doubt that was the case here.
A bit more drawing and chatter amidst the Babyboom DJs playing some musical nuggets, and then it’s time for With That Knife.
I fell in platonic love with this band after first catching them at Dry Bar almost two years ago. They mixed the punk energy that I grew up on and refused to grow out of, with the new sounds that were making waves for the likes of Foals at the time. So it’s heavy and frantic but still cool and catchy. You follow?
Take for instance, the brash-but-beautiful ‘Tonight We’ll Find Out’, with its runaway tempo, or the short and sugary sweet ‘Pitchforks’, followed by a 90-second pure hardcore-punk tirade. Two new songs get an airing – both sounding heavier yet full of even more disjointed melody than their stuff of old.
2nd March sees the release of single ‘This Place, A Thousand Times’, so that and B-side ‘Excuse? Me!’ come out to play – review of that little blighter coming real soon. It’s the latter of the two that starts to stir up some serious dance moves at the front of the crowd. Fueled by beer or the sheer rebellious funk that’s going on, who can tell? But everyone’s into this by the looks of things – some just opt to show with extreme gyration.
Ending on the angered ‘Bravery’, With That Knife bow out in a blaze of glory and we’re suddenly back to the mundane pace of reality after that renegade ride. Seriously one of our favourite local bands, and with any luck their imminent release and more good support slots should catapult them into the eyes and ears of many.
As the DJs start playing some classic hip-hop, we leave to sum up a very fine evening. There’s been drinking and dancing and drawing and… drumming. We’ve enjoyed a hospitable night in the company of music and art, and will be back next month and the month after, regardless of there already being ace line-ups in place. We’d come for the jovial atmosphere alone.
LINKS :
With That Knife – http://www.myspace.com/withthatknife
WTK play The Dog in Bolton on Thursday 25th, and then Ruby Lounge supporting Montreal’s DD/MM/YYYY on March 1st.
Stream their EP above and click ‘Download’ to get it for free!
Mountains Became Machines – http://www.myspace.com/mountainsbecamemachines
MBM play Retro Bar on March 12th with Khuda and Humanfly.
The Bay Horse – http://www.thebayhorsepub.co.uk/
Babyboom Records – http://www.myspace.com/babyboomrecordsuk
Free For Arts Festival – http://www.freeforartsfestival.co.uk/
Line-ups already in place – March 18th: Jo Rose, Films +1TBC // April 15th – Amida, Puzzle +1TBC.
Daniel Alston
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Freelance journalist & designer.
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Mountains became machines were loud! good review that, pretty acurate like!!