Music / Review
Review: Dry Cleaning, O2 Academy – ‘Some sort of fever dream’
“Well what kind of band are they?” was the question I was met with when searching for a friend to accompany me to Dry Cleaning’s gig at Bristol’s O2 Academy.
“Well, sort of post punk?” I’d say but that’s oversimplifying what seems to be a wonderfully undefinable band.
The London four piece are touring to promote the release of their new album Stumpwork, with support from Chicago indie band Dehd.
is needed now More than ever
Dehd, an exciting addition to the billing set the ball rolling with angsty pop punk stylings and the sneaking realisation that I was much more familiar with their catalogue than I thought.
Originally excited as several of their songs have been regular listens, I soon realised I was in fact familiar with almost every song they played, as the delivered ear worm after ear worm, bringing me and the rest of the audience much needed energy on an otherwise drowsy Sunday evening.
Dy Cleanings performance was immaculate, every aspect of the band was tight and dialled in, making it one of the best sounding gigs I’ve been to in recent memory.
Front women, Florence Shaw was captivating, with her monotone lyrics delivered as if taken from a conversation with an acquaintance with words spoken and not sung, she paints a disparate and intimate collage of life.
This paired with hand gestures punctuating her lyrics and unfluctuating eye contact with a single point in the room made it feel like you were overhearing a free-flowing conversation between friends in some sort of fever dream; full of truths and acerbic wit.
This was layered over the band who provided detailed and complex and beautiful post punk melodies that almost seemed in juxtaposition to Shaws dry spoken word delivery.
A particular high point for me was the live performance of Kwenchy Kups, one of my favourite songs of 2022 and one that has been on near constant repeat since Sundays gig.
All in all it was an incredible gig and a grand way to mark my first trip to the O2 this year.
Main photo: Darren C Photography
Read next:
- Review: Ezra Collective, O2 Academy – ‘An incredibly entertaining spectacle’
- Review: Tom Moore & Archie Moss, Downend Folk & Roots – ‘A sweeping, star-gazing soundtrack’
- Review: SUEP, The Crofters Rights – ‘Eclectic arrangement of songs tied together by playful synth melodies’
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