REVIEW: WHITE LIES AT BRISTOL 02 ACADEMY (09/02/11)
Never have I seen the Bristol 02 Academy so rammed as for this sold out White Lies gig. Anyone under 6ft tall who turned up later than 8.30pm was destined to spend the gig looking at the back of someone’s had cos there was no way you were getting through the highly charged crowd to gaze longingly at Harry McVeigh and crew but in a funny way that mattered not. The White Lies are all about the sound and they’ve got plenty of that to go around. Inevitably it was the rousing songs from their debut 2009 album To Lose My Life which really grabbed the crowd’s attention, songs like A Place To Hide, Death and Farewell to the Fairground epitomised by one mass sing along, plenty of clenched fists punching the air and one giant jump around on the ground floor. Their new album, Ritual, has been labelled a bit lacklustre by a lot of critics and their live performance of songs like Strangers, Peace and Quiet and even the widely played single Bigger Than Us didn’t compare to their earlier hits being repetitive and dull in places. However, this isn’t necessarily indicative of a poor quality album it’s more likely because the first was so damn good. There is no denying that McVeigh’s voice and clear desire to be playing to such an appreciative crowd made this gig, his Ian Curtis tones and wry smiles singing to everyone in that joint. The drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown is well worth a mention too (mainly cos the tip of his head is the only thing I could actually see for the majority of the gig!) No seriously, his energetic thrashing of those drums add to the haunting Joy Division-type vigour of the songs making White Lies a force to be reckoned with. Last time they played Bristol, it was here at the 02 Academy – how about you try somewhere else next time boys…Ashton Gate anyone?
Words and photo: Laura Williams
