Gig Review: Pinegrove @ The Haunt – 02/03/17

Since signing to Run for Cover records in late 2015, Pinegrove have achieved critical acclaim through their audiotree online session, released their second album ‘Cardinal’ and headed over shores to the UK and Europe for the first time. Soon after finishing up their debut UK tour they were quick to announce their return in February of this year. Last Thursday night saw Pinegrove performing their last show of their UK run before heading out to finish up the tour in Europe, a sold at show at The Haunt in Brighton.

Opening the night was Hannah Read of art rock band Lomelda. Read delivered a solo set of songs from the band’s back-catalogue. With haunting vocals accompanied by intricate electric guitar melodies Read gave a brilliant performance that set the tone for the rest of the evening. With the venue filling up during her performance, more and more audience members edged towards the front and it was clear she had well-deservedly gained some new fans.

With only a two-band line-up Pinegrove took to the stage next to a very enthusiastic reception. Their set-list seemed to be balanced perfectly with material both old and new. Whether the fans were only familiar with new album ‘Cardinal’ or their entire discography, there was something for everyone over the course of the evening.

The audience’s enthusiasm appeared to double upon hearing the beginning of tracks ‘Size of the Moon’, ‘The Metronome’ and old favourite ‘Angelina’, that was actually requested numerous times throughout the night, the band delivered each and every song with flawless execution and gave back as much enthusiasm as they were receiving from the crowd. 

The set also left room for some new material with the band performing a live debut of new track ‘Rings’, without being informed that it was a live debut I doubt the audience would have guessed by the confidence in the performance. There’s something about Pinegrove’s music that has such a sense of nostalgia even the songs you have yet to hear have a great sense of familiarity to them.

Vocalist, Evan Stephens Hall, delivered a standalone performance of another new track and then mentioned that they would be recording their new album this coming summer. Hall’s speeches throughout the night were as much of a highlight as the bands performance. With one of the most impactful moments of the evening being, after talking about the current state of the world, finishing by exclaiming that ‘These songs are about being respectful to one another and learning how to treat people better’

The band ended the set with ‘Cardinal’ closer ‘New Friends’ before coming back onstage to bring the night to a close with a brilliant encore of ‘Need 2’. Judging by the reaction they received it’s clear that fans are already eagerly awaiting their next UK tour. 

Pinegrove currently have a reissue of their compilation 'Everything So Far' up for pre-order at http://pinegroveuk.limitedrun.com/products/584558-everything-so-far-preorder

Keep up with the band on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Pinegroveband/

Gig Review: Deaf Havana @ 02 Forum – 24/02/17

The past six years have seen Deaf Havana play Reading and Leeds numerous times, headline 2000 Trees Festival and support Bruce Springsteen. After taking a much-needed break after the release and touring of 2013’s ‘Old Souls’ they have just burst back onto the scene with their fourth album ‘All These Countless Nights’.

The first time I saw Deaf Havana perform live was at the Audio in Brighton back in 2011, just before the release of their second album ‘Fools and Worthless Liars’. Last Friday I got to see them perform on the final show of their recent UK tour, a sold-out show at London’s 02 Forum, and the experience was a far cry from that club gig six years ago.

Opening their set with album opener ‘Ashes, Ashes’ accompanied by a simple acoustic guitar you could immediately hear the enthusiasm from the audience as the voices in the crowd powered over James Veck-Gilodi’s vocals. Once the first chorus kicked in it set the tone for the rest of the night and you could tell it was going to be special. 

The set list was topped heavy with tracks from ‘All These Countless Nights’, so much so that just four more songs and the album in its entirety would have been performed. It’s clear that singles ‘Trigger’ and ‘Fever’ have quickly become fan favourites. Both of which the band delivered with infectious amounts of energy, proving that they not only know how to write a fantastic record but they also know exactly how to translate their new songs live. 

With a whopping eighteen song set list they still left plenty of room for old favourites including; ‘22’, ‘I’m a Bore, Mostly’ and ‘Mildred’ which claimed to be some of the liveliest of the night.

Never one to hold back lyrically and unafraid to lay himself bare, ‘St Paul’s, ‘Anemophobia’ and ‘Happiness’ captured just that as the latter saw Veck-Golidi reflect on past struggles with alcohol and the affect it’s had on personal relationships, in what was one of the most emotional songs of the night.
  

Ending the set with ‘Hunstanton Pier’ was a cathartic moment. As the song drew to a close the crowd were ushered to sing the chorus back to the band a final time, not only did it sound magnificent but you could tell just how overwhelmed each member of the band was by what was happening. Throughout the night, they kept reinforcing the fact that London was home to them and it was clear that they were more than happy to be home.

Storming back onto the stage to close the night with an encore consisting of ‘Boston Square’, ‘SING’ and finally ending the show with ‘All These Countless Nights’ closing track ‘Pensacola, 2013’ saw the set finishing just as strongly as it began and only seemed to leave the audience wanting more.

Veck-Gilodi revealed that once the touring cycle of ‘Old Souls’ had ended Deaf Havana’s future was all but clear. Stating that ‘We didn’t know if we’d make another record, we didn’t know if we’d do another tour’ and admitting that their fans wanting them to return willed them to start writing what would eventually become ‘All These Countless Nights’, I think it’s safe to say that everyone in the room was beyond glad that they had decided to carry on.