Liverpool. It’s a bustling metropolis, known worldwide for its rich musical heritage. However, before the groundbreaking days of the Cavern Club, there lay another mystical underground hollow. Buried deep beneath the city streets, under the passing feet of oblivious townsfolk, an occult order of revolutionary minds conspired.

‘Candela’, the brainchild of Rebel Soul and the bright sparks – The Science Of The Lamps – revisited the unhinged ideas and secrecy of this forgotten society last Saturday. It was a night of ‘mystery and music’ tucked away in the Williamson Tunnels: a cryptic heritage site, which is quickly becoming the venue of choice for up-and-coming avant-garde creatives. The event was the grand unveiling of the ‘Lamp Scientist’s’ latest EP and featured brand-spanking new material from the band including; ‘Scary Smile’, ‘Superhero Me’ and ‘Flames & Firefighters’.

Upon arrival we’re handed champagne in test tubes, which sets the bar for an evening that is going to be bizarre, sophisticated and experimental in equal measures and filled with as many ‘light’ puns as we can possibly squeeze in. The spectral soundscapes of Ben Power’s ‘The Walrus Said…’ project reverberate throughout the chamber, providing the ideal soundtrack to the evening’s eerie proceedings.

First onstage is Liverpool’s ‘perspective detectives’, The Good Host. Working their way through a selection of long-forgotten shanties and combining elements of folk and gypsy-punk, the seven-piece create a foot-stomping, rousing sound comparable to Merseyside’s own, Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six.

After an engaging finale, Be Your Own Banana – the host for the night – took to entertaining the eager and expanding crowd. The Science Of The Lamps played two sets, either side of A Fistful Of Spooks; a ‘spooky man sandwich’ as they described it. Taking to the stage in some rather gothic garb, singer/songwriter Kaya and her sharp-dressed band, The Usherettes (a dazzling four-piece harmony group) kick off their first set with their latest number, ‘Little’.

They move smoothly into the sultry swing of ‘Scary Smile’ and follow it up with the courageous chorus of ‘Fight For Him’, a poignant song about child custody issues. The audience is then treated to an older number, ‘The Sick Champagne Waltz’, and the set is brought to a truly climactic finish with the help of Liverpool’s Indigo Vibe choir as they perform ‘Lonely’, a song taken from a feature film soundtrack, which the band is working on.

As the charmed pack disperses, they are met by an Acappella assault from ‘A Fistful Of Spooks’ on the stairs. Normally performing their billowing ‘beardgaze’ as part of a 17-man chorale, tonight we witness only five of the bass-barbarians. The band quickly draw attention with the hilarious tune ‘We Are Not A Men’s Group’, intoning “We sing at lower frequencies, we can grow our beards long like this… but we are not a men’s group”. With their choral harmonies, knitted Saxon hats and their magnificent cover of ‘Dancing Queen’ they continue to crack up the audience.

 

Then it’s the anticipated return of the Lamp Scientists. After the promise of a ‘dance reward’ – I’m not quite sure what that is, but we’re listening – Luke Moore’s graceful cello work leads us into ‘Duckling Hell’. Kaya’s tender vocals and inspired imagery prove incredibly captivating when paired with the exquisite layered harmonies of the Usherettes. An unexpected cover of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ has the audience shamelessly singing along. After a year of personal ordeals and adversity, the band tonight honestly sound stronger and more exciting than ever, as they prove with the up-tempo turn of ‘Superhero Me’.

After the rallied cries and excitement of the crowd sinks in, the band returns onstage to finish with one of the evening’s most compelling tracks, ‘Scary Smile’. Then the Mixnots’ and Kaya’s partner in crime, X-ray Katt steps up to the plate and helps the night’s suave stragglers while away till the wee hours. Now, if some of the myths and history surrounding Liverpool’s secretive artistic order had been slightly fictitious and fantasised before this night, the luminous legend of ‘Candela’ will surely burn bright in the memories of all those present from here on out.

Hear more at:

The Walrus Said… – https://twitter.com/experimentpromo

The Good Host – https://www.facebook.com/thegoodhost

A Fistful of Spooks – http://www.spookymen.com/

The Science Of The Lamps – http://thescienceofthelamps.com / https://www.facebook.com/thescienceofthelamps?fref=ts

Dj X-Ray Katt – https://www.facebook.com/XRayKattDj