Just over a year since Mogwai released their critically-acclaimed latest album ‘The Bad Fire’, the band have headed north to a surprisingly sunny Aberdeen to blow away not only the clouds but to blow both minds and ears.
Before the band take the stage at the historic Music Hall on Union Street, it’s down to Forest Swords to warm up the Friday night crowd.
Hidden in near darkness with only swirling spotlights behind him, producer Matthew Edward Barnes hunches behind a laptop and mixers on a table and produces beautiful, hypnotic sounds.
The set starts at a glacial pace before giving way to dubby beats and disembodied sounds that are enigmatic and mysterious.
The minimal lighting adds to the atmosphere as Barnes guides us on an ambient journey with songs such as ‘Tar’, ‘Gathering’, ‘Crow’ and ‘Caged’.
A lovely hypnotic chilled out start to the evening.
Taking the stage, Mogwai are greeted by a massive cheer from a packed Music Hall as they go straight into two songs from their latest album – ‘God Gets You Back’ and ‘Hi Chaos’.
Between-song banter is minimal – the odd ‘thank you’ from guitarist Stuart Braithwaite is all that’s really said. Vocals are also minimal – only a few tracks have them and they’re mostly masked by vocoders and effects that create an other-worldly, almost hauntological feel.
As the band power through the main set in an hour you feel lost in the sound, carried along in a meandering river of noise, lost to the outside world, oblivious to those around you.
The main set is quite different to the night before in Paisley – well-known songs such as ‘Mogwai Fear Satan’ and ‘Hunted By A Freak’ have been rotated out and tracks such as ‘Friend Of The Night’ and ‘Every Country’s Sun’ played in their place.
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This adds to the occasion and brings an element of surprise – you have no idea what’s coming next or where the setlist will head. It’s a commendable and brave approach that more headlining bands should embrace.
Tracks played also cover all eras of the band – from ‘Summer’, recorded three decades ago to the recent ‘Lion Rumpus’ via songs such as ‘Rano Pano’, ‘We’re No Here’ and ‘Ritchie Sacramento’.
The best, however, is saved till last – the mighty ‘Like Herod’ closes the half hour encore in climatic fashion.
Veering from almost nursery rhyme innocence and quiet, the loud part still hit you with a gut-wrenching surprise that almost floors you with power and ferocity. It’s an amazing, cathartic, feeling of joy.
Thirty years in, Mogwai still feel as new and as exciting as they did in the early days and remain one of Scotland’s finest ever bands. They’ll be back on Scottish soil in the summer, supporting The Cure in Edinburgh, where I fully expect another glorious performance.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.isthismusic.com ’
