By DJ Astrocreep
A sunny day, warm temperatures and an hour’s train ride mean a couple of alcoholic beverages are in store in the build-up to see A.A. Williams finally headline after being so struck by her live performance at the fringe part of the Sheffield Tramlines festival a few years ago. A couple of libations under my belt, it was time for our sole support act of the evening in Zetra, a band whom our live editor Jase, who accompanies me, warns me about beforehand…
So, how to describe Zetra, then? There’s a mix of synth, post-rock, shoegaze and almost gothic rock to their sound. Visually, we get corpse paint and black robes from the gruesome twosome, an image at relative contrast to the sound, but one that definitely grabs your attention. Vocal melodies played to live synth and guitar work exceptionally well and they are a highly likeable act. Just a pity that the sound guy doesn’t seem to be great, as we get repeat issues with mics feeding back and a complete loss of sound at one point, while the sound guy fucks about with the lighting desk adjacent to him. When the sound eventually gets turned up, it doesn’t ruin their set but does have an impact on the mood, though judging by the nodding heads in the room, not for too long. A very capable and intriguing support slot 40-minute slot, which did well to showcase a good level of talent.
So, finally, time for me to see A.A. Williams headline for the first time and my, what a capable artist she truly is. It’s my first time seeing her as part of a band, rather than solo and there is a clear difference between the two, as this live set veers much more towards post-rock than the shoegaze I’m much more accustomed to with her. Musically, most of the band is great, though there definitely seems to be a number of bum notes from the bassist, which our live editor Jase, who is sitting beside me, also notices and makes a comment of to me. There seems to be a particular synergy between A.A. and the keys/guitarist alongside her, as she often turns to him at various parts of the set.
We get 14 songs over 90 minutes, fairly standard as a set length for this type of music, although there is nothing that is just “standard” about the performance. Starting off with ‘Wait’ we get some absolutely stunning soundscapes from the off, as the set continues on. ‘Love and Pain’ and ‘Alone Into The Deep’ are not too far behind, as the crowd are absolutely spellbound around me, with almost absolute silence during the songs and between them. This further shows just how bewitching are both the live show and the music A.A. is creating, to have such a firm grasp of us all as she has, and which allows even the more delicate side of her rougher edge to be played without any interruption.
While we don’t get an encore, the likes of ‘Pristine’, ‘Ruin (Let Go)’ and closer ‘As The Moon Rests’ are of such beauty that it would almost feel awkward to ask for any more. She even stays behind, after the set, to greet and chat with everyone who wants to, showing quite how the love is reciprocated and to much respect from myself, given what some artists charge for that privilege.
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.