A must-see
Sound Control is an intimate venue and was a great fit for the occasion. Playing to a small crowd, some bands of Gang of Youths talent would feel disappointed and discouraged, but this was not the case as Dave and the boys gave it their all.
In light of recent events Dave opened with a solo rendition of Champagne Supernova to pay respect. The band joined in after to deliver a blistering start to the show with their new single 'What Can I Do if the Fire Goes Out?' The rest of the show was a balanced mix between favourites from The Positions, and unleashing their new material coming in their next release. Can't wait to get my hands on their new LP based on what I heard.
In between songs Dave would reveal intimate details of the songs, with Jung playing keys sounding very similar to the chords of The Diving Bell. Dave has already established himself as a stellar performer with his relentless energy, dancing that men could only dream of doing, while never missing a note. But in this event he proved that he is also a captivating storyteller while onstage. Although this is no surprise considering if you've listened to him being interviewed.
The set was the perfect transition between leaving behind the tragedy and adversity of The Positions and coming into a new era of what I'd like to call hope with Go Farther in Lightness. Dave mid-set revealed yet another tragedy, and delivered a solo rendition of Knuckles White Dry which in his own words, now has new meaning to him.
While the crowd was up to this point happy to stand and listen, gazing in awe at what they were witnessing, couples embraced each other in arms as Dave delivered advice on not taking things for granted. The crowds excitement peaked with Magnolia as expected, with Dave coming into the crowd. A personal highlight for me would be watching him make his way through the crowd putting his arms around members of the audience and eventually making his way to me.
The show was a flurry of emotions best captured by their performance of Poison Drum where the words "I'm not afraid" repeated over and over could be heard from the crowd back at the band, with the words taking on so many different meanings given recent events.
Having very high hopes for the show going in, I am relieved to say that the performance exceeded such high expectations and is among one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.
Posted by Lucke on 26/05/2017
Gang of Youths, Sound Control, Manchester - 25th May 2017
The Man
I’ve gotta say, despite Dave saying in the show we shouldn’t be looking to him for the answers, GOY have been there for me through some pretty pivotal moments in my life. The boys did not disappoint and Dave’s performance was insightful, bloody hot and a whole lot of fun. See you again soon 💘
Posted by Alexandra Lys on 14/05/2018
Gang of Youths, Chalk, Brighton - 13th May 2018