Mass House | Brian Lightning | Beverly Shrills
The Louisiana, Bristol
2nd April 2024
Daisy Kennedy
Daisy is a Bristol based freelance writer, mainly producing work for theatre and screen, but especially loves to write about music and live events. Prone to a good dance and the occasional crowd surf.
Birmingham band Mass House headline The Louisiana, Bristol with a night of lyrical synth paradise
The retro inspired electronic act Beverly Shrills were up first. One for fans of LCD Soundsystem and Marc Rebillet, the collective churned out synth-based tracks with an impressive display of analog gear.
Next was Brian Lighting and his band. Frontman Lightning can only be described as a mix between Jonathan Richman and David Bowie‘s showmanship, performing magic tricks in between songs and donning a wig to transform into alternative character ‘Frankie’. With their captivating set there’s always something to watch, offering a theatrical take on your standard gig seen at The Louisiana. This Birmingham based band are definitely ones to keep your eye on.
It was finally time for headliners Mass House, with their expert and unique use of sequencers and synthesizers, they waste no time in bringing the energy, opening with catchy track ‘Reasons To Be Dancing.’
Memorable hook ‘Reasons to be dancing, when we can dance again’ an echo to covid times; the clever lyrics layered over dance synth was the perfect combination for people to let loose.
The pair manage to discuss heavy themes in a creative and unique way, keeping the lyrics straight to the point, like stand out track ‘We Told You There’d Be An Increase in Your Next Month’s Bill.’ They also manage to slip in unexpected and hilarious cultural references to sink your teeth into, e.g Diego Maradona and Martin Roberts.
Something notable about this band: you can watch their set without prior knowledge and still know the words by the end. This is a testament to their infectious tracks and spot on energy, so much so the crowd persisted in an encore, despite the duo running out of songs, resulting in a bookend rendition of ‘Reasons To Be Dancing‘.
Stream their latest single ‘Fantastic Planet’ here:
Discover more from Clunk Magazine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
1 Comment