It wasn’t until mid-afternoon that we heard that the previously unannounced support act was heavily rumoured to be Jesse Lacey (lead singer of Brand New) himself, doing an acoustic set. So just before 8 we went in and waited impatiently on an already quite packed floor. 8 came and went, then 8:15, and there was a twinge of doubt settling in; but finally, just before 8:30, Lacey walked out onto the dim, green-blue backlit stage to great cheers, and proceeded to play a short but beautiful acoustic set.
untitled 1
Play Crack the Sky
Oh Comely (Neutral Milk Hotel cover) (video)
Soco Amaretto Lime
Coca Cola
Lacey's voice, accompanied only by the guitar, is simply gorgeous – big, emotional and affecting. It was brilliant to hear Play Crack in its stripped back glory, as it is on second album Deja Entendu. Also, we saw Jesse crack a smile, and it was amusing as the Brand New set following was, admittedly, pretty damn emo considering the low lighting, the songs, and the anguished performance.
There was only a brief break before Brand New took to the stage. The band, plus another three touring members (including a second drummer), came on and just hurled themselves into a blistering instrumental; it felt amazing from the start, absorbing this wall of sound and fury, the bass reverberating through my chest. From there they launched into two faster paced songs off their last album, The Devil and God…, which were well received. But it wasn’t until Okay I Believe You… that the mosh really went nuts, which was fun to watch from our position on the outer rim of the seething mass. There was a good atmosphere during the whole gig, such an improvement on last time where the timid audience dampened the mood.
There was a slower section, building the tension towards an absolutely amazing string of songs, starting with Millstone, which really could’ve been a second single considering how the crowd reacted, followed by glee from the audience as Jesse introduced Gloria with an offhand comment, “This one’s about sex.” Tatou served as a brief lull before an entirely unexpected and oddly sweet cover of Jesus Loves Me sung by Jesse, which served as an intro for the song Jesus.
I loved hearing Degausser live again; it’s one of my favourites from the album, and it’s always seemed to me a song of quiet desperation, but last night they played it as this tortured monster of a song, a perfect performance of a breakdown in process, which carried brilliantly into You Won’t Know, which closes the show with Jesse’s anguished repeating of the refrain over and over. It still gives me chills, feeling the haunting unravelling quality of Jesse’s voice over the dark of the theatre.
The encore was mildly disappointing; after a prolonged delay filled with cheers and calls for the band, they came back on slowly, starting with Vince on his own playing a riff which Jesse then took over, and continued into an extended instrumental jam. It was mesmerising, but when the concert ended abruptly after that, it left me wanting more – more songs, more time with them - because their music is so powerful and intensely affecting.
Welcome to Bangkok
Not the Sun
The Archers Bows Have Broken
Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t
Jaws Theme Swimming
The No Seatbelt Song
Luca
Millstone
Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades
Tatou
Sowing Season
(Jesus Loves Me)
Jesus
Degausser
You Won’t Know
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