News / / 18.06.14

Glass Animals

The Lantern, Bristol | 16 June

The lights dim and the tangible murmuring of the excited, sold out crowd begins to subside, a soft rainforest ambience fills the room as the crowd are transported from Bristol’s elegant The Lantern to a peaceful jungle clearing, unintentionally aided by the sweltering heat that frequently plagues the venue. The atmosphere is reminiscent of not only the jungle but also Jungle, as the opening of the show emulates the style of one of their partners in contention for the most hotly anticipated albums of 2014. Similarities to a Jungle show do not end here in terms of sound and performance. This is not to say however that Glass Animals aren’t a completely different, well animal, when it comes to their live show, bringing a completely unique feel to the performance.

As eccentric frontman Dave Bayley struts confidently on stage and launches straight into Pools – the first of many energetic, funky tracks from two week old debut Zaba – it is clear that Glass Animals have not only poured every ounce of the wealth of musical talent they possess into the record, but have also managed to somehow hold plenty back to add to the live show. While impressive throughout, it is not until the last minute or so of Pools that Glass Animals suddenly come alive. The Oxford four-piece leap from their positions brandishing tambourines and guitars showcasing an onstage chemistry and improvisation that can only come from a band who have been practicing since they were kids. As the set continues the crowd is treated again and again to expertly crafted alterations, from the additional vocals on instrumental Intruxx to the crisp, powerful drum solo in Walla Walla.

The performance is by no means perfect however, there are occasional missed cues and falls from time but given just how recently Zaba was released this can be forgiven of a band who can only get better with time. Also slightly disappointing is the predominance of sampling from a record that features such a wide range of percussion – perhaps Glass Animals could benefit from drafting in a few extra people to bang some wood together, or something.  These are small details, however, from a band still finding their feet of the back of an incredibly complex and forward thinking debut. The important stuff is down; give it a year and Glass Animals have the potential to go from a solid live band to a great one.

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glassanimals.eu

Words: Henry Boon

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