Earlier this year, I made the fortunate discovery of this kooky, synth-orgasm of a band: with their adorably quirky Scottish twangs, analogue keys and thumping bass-lines; I was hooked. Back then, Chvrches were beginning their steady explosion onto the music scene: beginning with Soundcloud uploads ‘Lies’ and ‘Science and Visions’, burgeoning into UK tours in sardine-packed venues, to the highly anticipated release of their debut in September. With accolades to date already including bagging the support act spot for the arguable forefathers of synth-pop, Depeche Mode, they’re already causing a commotion amongst 80’s lovers, both new and old.
After catching them at Manchester Soundcontrol a few months back with my dad and a mild consequential dose of social suicide, I managed to get him hooked enough to return to their gig on the 14th of this month, at the upgraded venue of notoriously sticky floors that is The Ritz. Within a mere matter of months, they’d gone from a quietly self-assured, but still-blossoming Glaswegian group, to a crowd entrancing, Moog-driven monster: they were absolutely killing it. When the catcalls of males screaming “I LOVE YOU, LAUREN” subsided, we were treated to a set that included almost the entirety of the album, ‘The Bones of What You Believe’. And what a treat it was.
Highlights of the night had to be Martin’s solo track ‘Under The Tide’, where he went for it quite so violently that we were a tad worried their new light display may’ve triggered something – I’d wager a bet that he definitely pulled something, though. Then factor in a bit of Lauren’s endearingly awkward robot dancing, their impenetrably Scottish small talk between tracks and the phenomenal finale of ‘The Mother We Share’ – a sure concoction for a brilliant gig. These guys are going places, trust me.
