Gang of Youths’ recent Brixton show, the finale of a five-month run of UK and Ireland shows for the Australian quintet, starts with a rather jarring transition. After strong support from Sunderland native and self-styled ‘future of all things guitar’ Tom A. Smith, and Charlie Collins’ ethereal, country-infused vocals, the main set began with a haunting xylophone melody from percussionist Donnie Borzestowski, instantly lulling the expectant crowd.
However, the sense of quiet anticipation was soon shattered by the thumping bass and rhythmical claps introducing ‘the angel of 8th avenue’. The contrast seemed perfect for that song, where lyrics provide an oasis of hope and faith in one’s marriage amidst the grief and trauma at the heart of their most recent album, ‘angel in realtime’.
This tension at the heart of ‘angel in realtime’ comes across throughout the live show. Lead singer David Le’aupepe’s rockstar bravado is infectious, but it comes across in its purest form — see the stage diving, the slightly dorky enthusiasm of dancing to one’s own music, the Aussie charm (“you’ve all been top c***s tonight”). There’s also the effortless ability to play the crowd (“there’s no excuse for not knowing the words”) during material from the band’s first two albums, especially stalwart crowdpleasers ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Let Me Down Easy’, which Le’aupepe describes fittingly as about “drinking, dancing and being good to one another”.
When performing much of their newer material, however, Gang of Youths put this charisma to one side. In acoustic renditions of songs such as ‘spirit boy’, Le’aupepe’s songwriting ability is on display, especially in his nuanced response in songwriting to the revelation of his father’s second family upon his death. Also, the newer material is an opportunity for some powerful moments of vocal catharsis — the shriek of ‘goddamn’ towards the end of ‘the heart is a muscle’ particularly sticks in the mind.
Gang of Youths are perhaps strongest when they embrace the vulnerability at the heart of their most recent material. A solo perfomance by Le’aupepe at the piano of ‘brothers’ not only lays bare the heart-wrenching autobiographical story narrated by its lyrics, but also gives Le’aupepe the opportunity for an emotionally rich monologue about the death of his dog and an interaction with his therapist, in which he speaks powerfully of “embracing emasculation”. The quieter, more personal moment provided by this song leads aptly into the reflective tone of ‘forbearance’, which explores Le’aupepe’s desire to atone for his past mistakes during his father’s final days.
Before a brief closing number and encore, the band’s final address to the audience seems to encapsulate neatly the message of their music and their show: to be vulnerable, to be oneself, and to come together in our hardships. Nowhere is this message clearer than in the final lines of closing number ‘The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows’, which affirm that the singer will bear “the unbearable / terrible triteness of being”. Through a show that manages to be both audaciously fun and moving, Gang of Youths manage to make the unbearable just slightly more bearable.
Words by Clementine Scott
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