Airship - Deaf Institute, Manchester, 21/5/2010

  by Aaron Brown

published: 1 / 6 / 2010

intro

At the Deaf Institute in Manchester, Aaron Brown watches epic rockers Airship play a short, but effective set to a hometown crowd

As I get to Deaf Institute (formerly the Deaf and Dumb Institute for would you believe it the deaf?) there’s a crowd congregating outside. They are not smokers, nor are they some scally Mancurians looking to beat up an art student or two. No, they are here to see a very good band that put on a very good show indeed. As Airship take to stage with a rapturous applause, a chap of advancing years at the bar leans over to me ask if it is the Flaming Lips. “Err no”, I reply. True, there are some similarities to their style of play. Sure, the band use of background stage imagery such as atomic bomb tests also brings up good, but the band have concocted a sound that is very much their own. Promoting the new EP 'Love and Disaster' to which they have contributed the excellent 'Kids', the band is on fire tonight Their slot, while being short but sweet, is an enjoyable affair. Stand-out tracks include the aforementioned 'Kids', the U2-esque 'Gold Watches' and excellent 'Algebra' which (bad pun) even I can understand. While the shortness of Airship's set was just a bit annoying, and despite the uncomfortable humidity and the irony of a playing a gig in a former institute for the heard of hearing, all in all it was a good night for everyone. Go see Airship.

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