By Jase Walker
As the weather steadily gets colder, we enter into the close of the year’s autumn period of gigs. Definitely feeling the warmth of the air drain out today more so than previous weeks, I’m back off to Haarlem to catch one of my favourites, The Ocean, supported by This Will Destroy You and ArcTanGent-adjacent darling, Jo Quail.
A solo performer with her skeletal electric cello, she’s well known on the gig circuit for her performances which up until now I’ve somehow managed missing every single lineup she’s been on, so this is my first time finally. The crowd admittedly could be a bit quieter while she builds up an atmosphere using a loop pedal to add in various percussion, this is actually quite a bit more avant-garde than I expected it to be.
It’s impressive the range of sounds Jo is able to coax out of the cello by way of either slapping the neck and board with her hand or striking it with the bow. Layer upon layer continually adds texture and pressure to the song as it steadily builds up to a grand peak, admittedly at the start I wasn’t amazingly engaged but this has built into quite a bizarrely interesting soundscape so I’m quite eager to hear more.
The intricacies of her playing frequently catch my attention including in the middle of playing a run of notes, she’s using a spare finger to pluck lower strings for bass notes! I can already see at this point why there’s such a buzz about her performances, I’d love to see what she could do with a full band behind her but with what she’s already doing, I doubt she needs it. She’s got a fascinating array of effects at her disposal as well, the least expected of which was some overdrive/fuzz which add some real grunt.
The interesting part of the way these songs are built as well is that not even a single part on the way to all the layers being added is actively recorded and looped, so the songs are still quite dynamic and engrossing. I have to say this was quite an unexpected performance for me but I’ll definitely be making more time for Jo in future at other shows.
- Jo Quail’s new single, ‘Macha‘, is out now. She tours with Jon Gomm in December:
This Will Destroy You (TWDY) quietly walks on stage, barely any light on the members except for two upwards blue floodlights that make silhouettes of them. Eventually the lights draw down, illuminating the band as they begin the warm embrace of their melancholy, post rock sound. This is a band I’ve been kicking myself for missing at ArcTanGent in 2022 (not without good reason mind you), so finally getting the chance to see them isn’t something I was going to pass on this time.
The crowd seems to have been a bit more respectful for TWDY’s set as during the quiet parts you could hear a pin drop, a few errant coughs here and there but largely everyone is silent, incredible. The emotional provocation of TWDY’s music is easily on par with some of the greats of post rock alongside Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, and ASIWYFA. There’s something so wonderfully engrossing about post rock and the songwriting approach of the artists that champion it, each music piece is so well crafted and has a flow that takes you on a journey with it.
Admittedly post rock bands tend to not be super mobile on stage with a few exceptions, and TWDY aren’t really different in that regard, shunning constant movement in favour of focusing on building the atmosphere and letting their music do the talking. TWDY are another stellar example of post rock’s finest, their woven web of soundscapes, haunting melodies and raw emotion in each song is spectacular. I really can’t say much else other than just repetition of the same gushing I’ve already been making, I’m completely lost in the awe of this show, it’s incredible.
And finally for the last show of the night, The Ocean. Quite fortunate to have been able to catch them twice this year in two different countries and while this set is most likely to lean heavily on ‘Holocene‘, there’s little chance I won’t be enjoying the next hour or so. While I’m not super keen on the ‘Holocene’ stuff, I do admit it’s got quite a different feel to it live that gives it a bit of heft that I thought was missing compared to previous albums.
One thing is for sure though, I am definitely at a The Ocean show with their signature flood lights, projecting either bright flashes of brilliant white or amber hues that frequently leaves the band themselves looking like marionette shadows amongst it all. The newer material is clearly designed for a more ambient and atmospheric approach as opposed to the crushing, suffocating feel of their earlier work and given how it’s coming across live, I do have to admit it really works.
We’re very much in a different era (hah!) of The Ocean so I suppose I may have been a bit harsh on my initial opinion of ‘Holocene’, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve not connected with an album only to have the live performance put it in context. The sound of this show is outrageously good as well, every single hit of the bass drum shakes my jeans, the bass pounds through my chest and the guitars punch right through to the back of the room with ease.
What a bloody incredible show this is, it’s easily one of the best performances I’ve seen these guys do! Their singer towards the end of the set, no fear in this man, dives into the audience mid-song before being propped up and then carried back to the stage and odd thing I’ve found about these Dutch shows is a distinct lack of barrier where the stage is. The Ocean once again proves that they are a staggeringly good band live, with their unique sound and strong identity in performance they’re rarely a band you’ll ever forget seeing.
Absolutely phenomenal, this has been a show that I’m glad that I was here for and wasn’t in bloody Tilburg or something. Strength to strength, The Ocean endures, don’t miss a chance to see these at their apex.
The tour continues:
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.