Public Service Broadcasting gig review in Bristol

Posted on: 2015-04-24

Our rating:

When played at home, the songs are powerful. When played live, the songs engulf you. I cannot urge readers enough if you are going to see a live band, this month, this year, ever, see Public Service Broadcasting.


 

When Public Service Broadcasting were blossoming flowers at the forefront of another generation of ‘we-do-what-the-heck-we-want’ musicians, I would sit and listen to their EP on an almost nightly basis. I would share it with friends, ramming the headphones onto their heads saying “Look! This is new! This is exciting! People need to know about this!” with an astonishing disregard for personal space. Yet now, some four years later, a sold-out O2 Academy was screaming with excitement, packed to bursting with a crowd as diverse as the band themselves. All this... deservedly so.

Public Service Broadcasting are an excellent studio band. Their albums and EPs are a marvel, a rare gem amongst a sea of pretention, and a band who have somehow managed to break through in both the mainstream and the alternative music scene without compromising their unique sound. Acclaim has been justifiably slung at them from all corners of the globe, and the furore surrounding this UK tour is testament to just how much people have come to adore them. This is undisputed fact as far as I am concerned – but seeing the band live was something I was entirely unprepared for.

Reports from ArcTanGent 2013 led me to expect a minor spectacle that engaged the audience far more than your average set-up, but this went above and beyond. Not only does the music of PSB lend itself to a live setting like nothing I have ever seen, but their talented minds have created a glorious piece of performance art that resonates with the whole audience. PSB have an impressive back-catalogue, and although officially promoting their newest venture, The Race For Space, they were clearly aware of the tunes that would hit people hardest. ROYGBIV, Theme From PSB, and Inform – Educate – Entertain, were all played alongside a beautiful array of spotlights and colours. This was expertly partnered with some incredibly inventive use of the stage including a protruding LED Sputnik model that hovered above the band, and stacks of old television sets playing the band’s iconic music videos as they performed.

Public Service Broadcasting - 365Bristol

J. Willgoose, Esq can possibly claim the award for most charismatic frontman without an audible voice. Looking like a charming cross between Matt Smith’s 11th Doctor and Gareth Malone (you know, that adorable choir bloke on the telly), he communicated with a series of pre-recorded samples which had a surprisingly broad range but led to some very funny moments. There were three others present on stage – Wrigglesworth on drums, JFAbraham helping out on bass, and Mr.B. Described as a ‘visuals guru’ Mr. B lent a whole new dimension to the night and deserves enthusiastic applause for his incredible rocket-fuelled achievement. Every corner of the stage brought something to the mix, with inventive prop work and intricate lighting that has to be seen to be believed.

It goes without saying that the music was spot on. The triggers and samples were mostly controlled there-and-then which led to some interesting subtle improvisation, but not a beat missed. For anyone uninitiated, PSB’s main aim is to use old public information films, archive footage and propaganda material, to 'teach the lessons of the past through the music of the future'. A bold venture, but one that is successful in every possible way. The music is emotional, subtle, sometimes very very clever, and they are one of very few bands whose every track is a winner in its own right. When played at home, the songs are powerful. When played live, the songs engulf you.

I cannot urge readers enough – if you are going to see a live band, this month, this year, ever, see Public Service Broadcasting.

5/5

Reviewed by Miri Teixeira for 365Bristol - Bristol's leading events website

 



Article by:

Miri Teixeira

Miri is an English literature student at the University of Bristol who enjoys folk-punk & math-rock music, trailing round art galleries, and playing video games. She is a keen follower of politics and will read any science fiction you throw her way. Having lived in and around Bristol for many years she has developed a keen interest in the Bristol underground music scene and independent restaurants.