Venue:
93 Feet East, Brick Lane, London
Date: 18/06/2015
Formed in 1997, on hiatus for the better part of a decade, Mandala have finally produced a debut album – Midnight Twilight, very warmly recommended and good enough to get me to travel 150 miles for this gig – and played a showcase in London to celebrate.
While the album itself is impressive enough, live you get a different angle on the band, which is how it should be with any proper rock act. This is power trio stuff with a nicely psychedelic edge, featuring excellent musicians who used their chops in the service of songs rather than noodling.
Much of the energy comes from Will Spurling, a whirling dervish of a drummer, propelling the band along with a performance that is a show in itself. Holding things down alongside him is Francis Booth, a bass player with a melodic edge straight from the McCartney school. Out front is singer and guitarist Rhys Marsh, the man behind the increasingly impressive Autumnsongs Records label and a likely usurper of Steven Wilson’s crown as the busiest, and most trustworthy man in contemporary music.
Robbed of the textures they had on record – mellotron, Rhodes, sitar, tablas – they made great use of the extra space to produce a powerful gig that moved effortlessly from highlight to highlight, playing the new record, a couple of songs from Marsh’s solo record “Sentiment”, another from his Kaukasus project and, promisingly, a couple of new tunes which suggests the band won’t be disappearing this time.
There was powerful playing aplenty but there was melody too, light and shade and good humour as well, an essential ingredient juxtaposed against such intense music.
It’s an unashamedly retro sound in terms of instrumentation, but Mandala are a good reminder that the perpetual pursuit of the new doesn’t automatically result in things that are better.
In the hands of musicians who knew what they are talking about, voice, guitar, drums and bass still has plenty to say.
The audience:
Enthusiastic, knowledgable, celebratory, clearly committed to the cause. And, after spending an afternoon in Brick Lane, pleasingly lacking in the monumental hipster beards I’d been dodging.
It made me think..
There’s something about the trio format that allows for a musical conversation unlike any other line up. Fans of Cream, Rush and yes, the JH Experience, should give Mandala a go. I think you’ll enjoy it.
I want to hear this, based on your excellent review. But it’s very much a case of “relax, ladies – they’re married!” isn’t it? Blerk on left models self on Hugh Hopper c.1969, and we have to ask – why? The “handsome” one in the middle is in that awkward stage where his intended shoulder-length tresses look suspiciously like a mullet, and his sketchy facial hair seems like a regret tattoo. Him on the right – gorblimey guv’nor – an ‘ansom cab at this time o’ night?