re:mote voices

Stars Of The Lid
The Declining Winter
22nd May 2008
Stereo

Having done some research into the support for Stars of the Lid, I decided I would turn up late with the hope of missing them. I failed, someone having seen fit to add a second support band, I caught the end of the first band, and all of The Declining Winter who I was hoping to miss. The Declining Winter are a band from Leeds made up of ex-members of various Leeds bands, most prominently the band Hood, who I didn't like either. If the band had been instrumental, their mix of guitar, bass, violin and keyboards might have had some appeal. Might. Unfortunately they had a singer, who really can't sing, for all his enthusiasm. As such the results were some what off putting.

This meant that Stars Of The Lid went on quite late, and probably played a shorter set as a result. Neither support seemed quite in the right place, and this sense became very much clear when the band took to the stage. Stars of the Lid is the band of Brian McBride and Adam Wiltzie, both of whom stand on either side of the stage with guitars and samplers and the like. Between the two there is a big screen which spiralling colours, space patterns and the like are projected. In front of the screen there was three women, two violinists and a celloist. Between the bass of the guitars and the more classical sound Stars of the Lid have a really deep, clean and intense sound live. The sort of sound which just blew the support bands away, and suddenly made it all seem worthwhile as the droning, entrancing music took the audience and encompassed them in its folds.

Declining Winter


Stars of the Lid