I’ve learned a lesson tonight – never be late for a gig. After rushing through the labyrinth of ever-changing routes in The Arches I find that The Luyas are already half way through their set. Several of Bell Orchestre are also involved here but the main focal point is the diminutive singer who looks too small for her guitar. The sound is unique, some instruments homemade and the set beguiling and bizarre but after only four songs I’m majorly disappointed to watch them leave.
The Luyas are a good barometer of what else was to come. Bell Orchestre perform instrumental pieces and manage to create the sound of an orchestra with only six members, two of which (Richard Reed Parry and Sarah Neufeld) are also members of Arcade Fire. The sound of the latter band is present here but Bell Orchestre are working on another plain, creating beautiful soundscapes from horn sections, slide guitars and an upright bass. Their new album ‘As Seen Through Windows’ was recorded between a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts, to the forests of Quebec and Vermont (made popular by Bon Iver), and back to their hometown of Montreal but tonight is their first show in Scotland.
This set is much a performance piece as it is a concert. All but the violinist are in suits and she stands at the heart of everything, a naked flame of intensity in a white dress. Barefoot, the horn players jump down from the stage to meander around the audience whilst three of the band drum the floor manically. Bells and loops and whistling and an astounding array of weird and wonderful instruments make for a memorable experience.
The secret to success is not difficult to explain – the band are simply ludicrously talented. Many a band will try and up the quirk factor by making all sorts of odd noises on stage and the result is invariably interminable. There needs to be a creative leap, an instinctual understanding of where to find melody and how to corral transient sounds into a structure. With Bell Orchestre at the helm segments flow beautifully into one another and haunting harmonies can change to an affront of horns in the blink of an eye.
And the climaxes are breathtaking. Never has my skin been so disturbed by goose-bumps quite so frequently in the space of a few hours. There are undulations more than steady builds with the expansive sound of all six together breaking down to allow for dramatic slide guitar sections or the dulcet tones of the upright bass when you least expect it, listen to ‘Air Lines - Land Lines’ below to hear for yourself.
The band take their bow and leave the stage after ‘Icicles’, a subdued piece that tends more towards the delicate than the wow. A fitting close, but one that feels rather tame until the six figures re-emerge for an encore. The final song of the night is a triumph, an embodiment of all they can be and a sound that knocks the wind from your sails.
Pics: Bart Photography
No comments:
Post a Comment