At the tail end of a British heatwave, Big Hands bar, situated a short walk from the University of Manchester, played host to Australian band screensaver as part of their EU/UK tour following the release of their latest album, Three Lens Approach. The more laid back vibe of bar gigs was apparent: a late door time, performers and punters intermingled at the bar, a soundcheck out in the open, and even later set times.
Nearly two hours after doors, support act Ishango Bone took to the stage. An eccentric trio of Mancunians, their self-described ‘cult-like harmonies’ was reflected in their use of samples that included a news reading, presumably covering the artefact that their took their name from. Their skills were clear, sharing vocals between them and rotating between instruments, plus the appearance of a megaphone during their final song. Sometimes psychedelic, sometimes absurd, with lyrical allusions to aliens and being force-fed doughnuts.
The large-booth-turned-small-stage could barely contain the Aussie five-piece, both physically and metaphorically. Huge synth sounds that wouldn’t feel out of place alongside those seen before the turn of the century interwoven with lead singer Krystal Maynard’s gritty yet captivating vocals, and equally massive sample drums made themselves known alongside an acoustic kit. Much of the setlist was comprised of songs from Three Lens Approach, which reflects upon the modern day’s struggle against a myriad of issues, although you probably wouldn’t realise that at first from the upbeat, danceable instrumentation. A mid-gig tangent from Maynard felt charming and somewhat grounding to me – a simple request for a good place to eat breakfast followed by a quip about how it felt backwards that she, with a microphone, was asking a question to a crowd, without microphones.
Screensaver’s set was arguably short, ending up around 45 minutes long. With three albums, part of me wishes their set had been a bit longer, although I suppose saying that I left wanting more would not be untrue. I’ve been left wondering how much of the set length was due to the venue’s late set times since I’ve not seen the lengths of other nights’ performances. The timing of the night was my biggest gripe, and a brief look at Big Hands’ social media reveals that it may be business as usual for them. While the late start and end to the night may appeal to the students in the area, I personally came away unsure if I would want to see a live show there again. That said, I have no major qualms about either of the bands’ performances that night, and I would happily see either perform again.
Ishango Bone: Instagram | Bandcamp
screensaver: Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp
Article (words and photos) by Ace Cheng
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