Live Review: Eagulls // Academy 2, Manchester – 10.10.16

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Leeds-hailing post-punk band, Eagulls, are seemingly unstoppable, with the release of their newest album, Ullages, catapulting them into the forefront of their genre in recent months. Providing support for Parquet Courts before their latest Manchester show, the band took to the vibrantly-lit stage of Academy 2 to showcase their unique sound, adding some much needed excitement to an otherwise uninspiring Monday evening.

Kicking off their set with explosive Ullages single, ‘Skipping’, it struck me how well the band channel their various musical influences, whilst still retaining a fresh sound. Skipping is incredibly reminiscent of The Cure, with singer George Mitchell’s staccato vocals evoking comparisons to those of Robert Smith. The distorted guitar ripples throughout the room and adds a far more cacophonous, flagrant feel to the song than the music of The Cure, however, ensuring their sound is never overly derivative.

Throughout the set the band emanate a level of confidence which you’d usually only expect from musicians who had been playing for much longer than Eagulls have. Indeed, the abrasive, yet melodic fusion of the instruments sounded excellent live, filling the room effortlessly and creating a grandiose feel which is far more present live than on their studio recordings. The band consistently appeared cool, calm and collected throughout their set, putting all their energy into delivering each and every second of their songs with as much gusto as possible.

As the show progressed, the crowd response became stronger and stronger, with plenty of Eagulls fans peppered throughout the audience as well as the obvious Parquet Courts fans who had come to see the main act. One particular highlight was their mid-set performance of ‘Nerve Endings’, which had almost everyone in the crowd moving and stepped their performance up to a whole new level in terms of quality and reception.

Since their inception back in 2010, Eagulls have released two studio albums, their self-titled debut and, of course, the previously-mentioned Ullages, with the latter album truly pushing the ensemble to new creative heights. Songs such as ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Lemontrees’ appear to have become live staples on their recent tour, with their jangly 80s-esque guitars, thunderous drums and heavy reverb creating the kind of sound that’s impossible not to lose yourself in when hearing it live. Their Manchester show was fantastically loud, self-assured and striking, and cemented the band as a force to be reckoned with among the likes of today’s post-punk scene.

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