Last night saw the first Crack Yr Skull ‘fucking sweet happy night’ that featured live bands – moving from existing strictly as an emo, punk, rock, post-hardcore and surprisingly screamo disco to supporting a range of different but thematically loud 'party' bands in Manchester. With a DIY ethic, Crack Yr Skull is an earnest encouraging forum for emerging artists and happily avoids twee inaccessibility. Matching homemade baby photomontages for band visuals with the Beastie Boys and Nirvana was a mean feat.
Headlining were Heaton Chapel’s finest, Deaf To Van Gogh’s Ear, a young math pop band with mature influences. For a band so young it’s refreshing to hear a deliberated sound, a sound steeped in modern classical influence, technical, creative initiative and calmer pop. DTVGE stop and start with intricate rhythmic structures, interspacing bass, trumpet, guitar, drums and keyboard last night for a sound that displays their interest in emo sensitivity (Evan’s lyrics are jerky and soft (in a very British way, no US twinge here), electronica and melodic pop. This emerging band who sound like they work damn hard, with all their influence, are not pretentious or poseur and, frankly, they should be travelling the world with their balloons very soon.
Deaf To Van Gogh's Ear... “…could give Carol Vorderman a severe brain ache’…” MEN
Joined were Well Wisher, a loud, thrashing, spasmodic pop band with a lead singer that twist, jumps, turns and shrieks emo until your ears bleed loveblood (got carried away there) and Hyacinth Girl, noise-pop in the vein of Abe Vigoda, straight outta Withington. Both Well Wisher and Hyacinth Girl suit the punk tastes of Crack Yr Skull and made for a drunken riotous night, with split bass drums and all.
Check them all out below...
www.myspace.com/deaftovangoghsear
