The Deaf Institute, a very fine Manchester venue (maybe in my top five?) hosts a couple of very fine bands this Sunday evening in February.
I’m reliably informed the stage time is 8:30pm. I rock up at 8:15pm just in time to catch the last few tracks from newcomers, and surprise addition to the line up, Morton Betts. Named after the first FA Cup Final goal scorer apparently, this trio are ‘pint fuelled, cowboy approved‘ and playing their second gig together. Nice work if you can get it. Decent tunes and a very entertaining bassist.
Then the band I’m here to see – Soup! (their exclamation mark, not mine). A quick listen to a few tracks before the gig suggests a jaunty little vibe, however live there is much more depth to the music.
They are sort of like a Mancunian Interpol, just as moody but more vibrantly dressed. Willing to encourage a bit of dancing, the audience obliges with some self conscious Sunday night shuffling. I enjoy what this band are doing very much and ‘The Acrobat’ and ‘Only Time’ have gone straight onto the playlist. I highly recommend you give them a listen. New single, ‘Supplies‘ is out now.
Keep up with Soup! on Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp
Headliners and Portsmouth/ London band Hotel Lux take to the stage. I wasn’t going to stay long but I quickly change my mind…
There is a temptation to think this is a band heavily influenced by Sleaford Mods or even early Fontaines DC tracks but there is much more to these guys than meets the eye. A fiddle for one thing (impressive). This is a band that understands light and shade and how to put a set together. Everything is moving along at a pretty lively pace, but when the acoustic comes out lead singer Lewis Duffin announces ‘We all enjoy a cry together. So it f**king seems anyway. Well it is Sunday…‘
2019 single ‘Tabloid Newspaper‘ induces the biggest cheer from the crowd, and rightfully so.
Their new debut album, ‘Hands Across The Creek’ is out now. With lyrics like: ‘Only seen my Dad cry once and it was at the football. I think that says a lot about masculinity‘ and ‘ Oh when I’m sat on the end of a sofa and you’re there chatting me into a coma…’ this is a band worth listening to. I predict the vinyl will be quite sought after, so buy it if you get the chance.
End of the set and I could have happily stayed for another hour. Fair play.
Keep up with Hotel Lux on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp.
Review and photography by Breige Cobane Photography
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