Tindersticks - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 2/5/2016

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 16 / 6 / 2016

intro

Dixie Ernill at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester watches Nottingham-based alternative rockers Tindersticks play a stunning two set gig, one of consisting old material and one of their entire latest album 'The Waiting Room', which comes accompanied by a short film for each song

Stuart Staples, David Boulter and Neil Fraser have come a long way since the late 1980s when they performed as the Asphalt Ribbons, a short-lived but rather good indie band. They resurfaced in the early 1990s as Tindersticks and have been making brilliant albums ever since, the latest of which is 'The Waiting Room', a project which saw each song accompanied by a short film made by a number of acclaimed film makers including long-time collaborator Claire Denis. Tonight the band perform the entire album live with the short films projected onto a huge screen behind them, which in truth sometimes detracted from the exemplary playing, but in the main made a bold artistic statement fitting of the wonderful surroundings of the concert venue. Highlights included 'Were We Once Lovers?' with its subtle nod to the dancefloor; 'Hey Lucinda', which despite being a duet on the album is sung beautifully by Staples alone and the hypnotic, almost spoken word 'How He Entered'. Three songs from 2012’s 'The Something Rain' make up a well-received encore, 'The Fire of Autumn' being the pick. Earlier the band performed a stunning set of older songs taken almost entirely from their 2003 onwards output, with only 'She’s Gone' coming from their early days. 'Keep You Beautiful' and 'Medicine' highlight how Staples' voice has developed a nice Motown tilt without losing its trademark fragility on the magnificent 'Boobar Come Back To Me'. This first set is closed by the perfect couplet of 'Sometimes It Hurts' and 'My Oblivion', both of which could rightly be considered modern day classics. The fact that Tindersticks can follow this with 'The Waiting Room' set without any let up in quality is testament to just how good they are. To call Tindertsticks one of England’s best and most consistent bands of the last twenty-five years is no exaggeration. Treasure them.

Also at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Band Links:-

Picture Gallery:-