LIVE: The View @ Gorilla, Manchester, 29.09.15

Being a top-class act from Dundee comes with some enormous pressure.  Sometimes, with expectations so high for, The View, to deliver a mind-blowing, life-changing set – the energy cracks and the four-piece begin to wade through the motions of a defeated crowd.  However, appearing onstage to Manchester’s sweaty, Gorilla, on Wednesday 30th September – it’s ridiculous to believe that, Kyle Falconer, and his band of merry men, could ever sound be believed to sound anything less than extraordinary.

Controversially opening with ‘Shock Horror’, The View dramatically ploughed through a festival-style setlist, seeing the likes of: ‘Skag Trendy’, ‘Grace’ and the colossal ‘Wasted Little DJ’s’, all getting incredibly  early airings.  With this technique the crowd, holding their hearts in their mouths, were dramatically engaged and enticed to be sucked into the liquid gold lives of The View.

As well as the crowd pleasing, ‘Face For The Radio’ and ‘The Don’, tracks from the bands’ latest studio record, Ropewalk, were given the special rinse-over-live treatment.

Defying all odds, ‘Marriage’ and ‘Under The Rug’ slotted into the audience’s vocabulary like a glove – harmonising the traditional with the ferocious new-and-improved View music.  For a band to create such an impact live with brand-new tracks deserves a showering of praise; something which the group would modestly shrug off and take into their stride.

Inevitably however, the dream had to end.  With a roaring rendition of cult-classic, ‘Same Jeans’ and ‘Superstar Tradesman’, which seen the burly Manchester crowd hop onstage with the Dundee lads, The View’ set dawned on phenomenally and dramatically ending.  Bringing up the rear, a special solo performance of ‘Tacky Tattoo’ was performed by The View’s frontman, sealing the deal that this band are easily still one of the most energetic and compelling live bands around.

Ella Scott
@ell44h

Ella Scott

Ella Scott

Gigslutz Editor, token Geordie and Blur fangirl. Naturally, achieving Vicky Pattinson's VIP edge is what drives me to get up in the morning.