As they release their debut album, Calder Valley scuzz meisters are eye to eye with Julia Mason in Jack White's Blue Basement
Who: The Lounge Society
Where: The Blue Basement, Third Man Records
When: August 25
This year The Lounge Society have already played on their biggest stage to date, opening for The Strokes along with Fontaines D.C. and Wet Leg at the Lytham Festival in July. So to now have the opportunity to see the 4-piece play The Blue Basement at Jack White's Third Man Records in London felt very special.
Capacity just 65, this show is two days before their debut Tired of Liberty is released on 26 August. Dan Carey produced, it is released on his Speedy Wunderground label and has already attracted plenty of attention.
There was a fair amount of buzz in the record store as we wanted for the basement to open. This was my first visit to Third Man Records in Soho and its pretty cool to see which musicians have influenced Jack White and indeed the releases he has made on his label. The friendly staff were serving beers upstairs as the clock ticked towards gig time. A dash down the stairs and a gasp of breath as we entered the venue. It is TINY. I have never been in such a small venue and you enter right at the stage which is floor level. Of course no barriers so you are literally eye to eye with the band.
The Lounge Society were let through the crowd and onstage. What an accomplished band they are, in sync with each other and impressively switching guitars throughout the set. Their music is passionate, with a gloriously chaotic soundscape but do not be fooled. This is a tight unit at one with each other. We were treated to songs from the Silk For The Starving EP - Burn The Heather and Cain's Heresy as well as singles already released from the new album including the quieter Upheaval and the ferocious No Driver. Not feeling the need to pack their songs full of lyrics, those the listener hears tend to linger long after the song has finished. "The black dog knows you, the black dog knows you. There's no driver".
By the time it came to the final song debut single Generation Game, the crowd were ready to let loose. The lyrics "What will the US do, to save our souls, to save our dignity" still give goosebumps, over two years since its release. The moshpit was going at full pelt and the main fear at this point was crashing into the band - thankfully, that didn't happen but what a very special gig this was. A band on the brink, full of passion and creativity, with plenty to say and a sonic landscape which is exhilarating. Roll on debut album Tired of Liberty released on 26 August. There are various instores in support of the release, and a UK headline tour which starts in Nottingham on 25 September.
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