Review: 6Music Fest, Colston & O2, Saturday

Hinds, O2, Saturday

Hinds’ massive world tour for their debut album Leave Me Alone began in the humble surroundings of Rise Records early on Saturday, before the Madrid quartet hopped down to the O2 Academy, starting their extensive run of shows with an enthusiasm that defines the band, and is sure to endure their gruelling schedule over the next year. Their set at the Academy drew from Leave Me Alone as well as early singles Bamboo and Between Cans, and proved the buzz that’s gathering around the four Spaniards to be entirely justified.

White Denim, Colston Hall, Saturday

White Denim are releasing their new album Stiff next month, and premiered bits of the new record in a Colston Hall setting that served to drown them at times. Stiff‘s first single Ha Ha Ha (Yeah) stands out, but the set as a whole felt a little too loose in such a big room, with little of the structure seen in the studio versions of their garage rock that would have held it together. An undeniably talented band, White Denim just fell victim to venue choice and set time, when a sweatier room at a later hour would have done them justice.

Mystery Jets, O2 Academy, Saturday

With album number five, Curve Of The Earth, under their belts last month, Mystery Jets are almost at veteran status. This experienced is used perfectly at their early-evening set in the Academy, with a set list perfectly tailored to such an occasion. Material from Curve Of The Earth intertwined surprisingly well with tracks from 2010’s Serotonin and 2008’s Twenty One despite significant changes in style between the albums. Unfortunately Young Love isn’t greeted with an appearance by its featured singer Laura Marling, also playing the festival, but Mystery Jets have no problem sliding gracefully into their second decade as a band all by themselves.

Ezra Furman, Colston Hall, Saturday

If White Denim’s set didn’t quite fit in with the vibe of the festival, Ezra Furman couldn’t have been more perfectly suited, with an infectiously fun 45 minutes that showcased the highlights from last year’s Perpetual Motion People. Leaning more heavily on the upbeat, ska-tinged side of his repertoire. Even though the one-two of Furman and headliners Underworld seemed like a strange transition to end the night in the Colston Hall, excitement levels hit the roof by the end of Furman’s set.

Blanck Mass, Lantern, Saturday

Blanck Mass, aka Benjamin Power (one half of electronic duo Fuck Buttons), really changed things up on his recent second album Dumb Flesh. The ambient drone of his self-titled debut gave way to gargantuan synths and drums, with all of the subtlety taking a walk. His set in the Lantern drew from both albums, with the crashing, thumping Dumb Flesh material interspersed with ambient interludes. The only shame is that it was received as if it were any old DJ set, with half of the crowd facing the other way, continuing their conversations.

Underworld, Colston Hall, Saturday

Enormous ‘room full’ signs were posted at every entrance to the Colston Hall mere minutes after Underworld hit the stage for their headline performance. There was dancing in the aisles, standing on seats, and the intensity shown by the band was more than matched in the crowd. When the inevitable, euphoric finale of Born Slippy finally did arrive, the hall was swept up in a beautiful mayhem – a closing song to end all closing songs. The set was a performance based almost purely on nostalgia, but that was no less brilliant for it in the moment.