When a ticket tout offered the lead singer of Scottish electro three piece Chvrches, Lauren Mayberry, a ticket to go and see ‘The Churches’ play at London’s iconic Somerset House as she made her way to perform alongside bandmates Iain Cook and Martin Doherty, she probably thought it wasn’t going to be her day but following what was the hottest day of the year so far, the Chvrches fans were out in force and were in good voice as the band played a mesmerising live show.
With a set that was essentially a performance of their entire 2013 debut album The Bones of What You Believe, Chvrches opened with the bubbly ‘We Sink’ which had the crowd singing along instantly and set the tone for a dance filled evening on the cobbles of what is surely one of London’s most regal outdoor music venues. The effervescent track ‘Lies’ followed and the bright, pulsating stage lights which made up the band’s often used star symbol added to the dancey feel of the synth heavy electro beats perfectly.
Mayberry’s vocals were note perfect throughout and tracks such as ‘Night Sky’, ‘Strong Hand’ and ‘Recover’ highlighted the talent that Mayberry has as a lead vocalist. It was evident during each track how passionate the band are about their music which is a breath of fresh air as having toured The Bones of What You Believe since the end of last year, it would be forgivable for them to be a little tired of it. Doherty took the lead vocalist role on ‘Under the Tide’ and he made sure that he took full advantage of being in the spotlight as he threw some serious shapes which could one day lead him to a potential winning spot on Strictly Come Dancing; remember you heard it here first!
‘Tether’ showcased the bands deeper and more contemplative side as their anthemic lyrics “Feeling capable of seeing the end, feeling capable of saying it’s over” echoed around the Somerset House walls as the crowd became the fourth member of the group much to the obvious delight of the band as they revelled in the audience’s admiration and when the end of the track, which features what is definitely one of the best synth riff’s of recent memory, was in full flow the atmosphere reached a euphoric high that left the crowd demanding more.
Following their final and most well know track ‘Mother We Share’, the band exited the stage only to return for a two song encore which featured the dramatic and powerful ‘You Caught The Light’ and another crowd favourite ‘By The Throat’. With a sound that differentiates them from every other synth pop band in the music industry and under the leadership of the articulate and humorous Mayberry, who clearly enjoys banter with her audience, Chvrches have achieved so much since their debut album less than a year ago; with a passion for their music that ensures they give their all in every performance, they are sure to go from strength to strength. Their follow up album is set to be extremely highly anticipated and if you are heading to Reading or Leeds this year, make sure you catch these guys as their live show will not leave you disappointed.
Matt Tarr
@MattTarrJourno
Matt Tarr
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