It’s been quite a week for seeing my favourite bands, with the magnificent Underground Lovers in Melbourne last Saturday and now on a Thursday night, the legendary Jesus and Mary Chain (JAMC) graced the stage of the spectacular Enmore Theatre in Sydney. Of course the Enmore Theatre must be listed as the third act tonight – a magnificently decorated Art Deco venue that provides the perfect platform in a stately, graceful manner.
Support for JAMC was Merryn Jeann who provided the most ethereal and sublime music, preceded by a graceful ballet performance introduction from Jeann. Jeann’s music was a gorgeous blend of Cocteau Twins and elements of Kate Bush, P.J Harvey and Bjork: delicate velvet vocals that sometimes veered into whoops and yelps, sometimes laced with spoken word vignettes.
It was an intense and mesmerising performance.
The Jesus and Mary Chain were on tour celebrating 40 years of noise laced with pop sweetness and follows the release of ‘Glasgow Eyes’ earlier this year (see my review here). I also interviewed Jim Reid last month where he talked about past performance anxiety and the post hiatus challenge of being sobre during live performances. There was no sign of this tonight.
Tonight he was talkative and charming, an enigmatic figure with the trademark uber cool disdainful delivery. His brother William, as always, stood to the back in virtual darkness throughout, the light highlighting his curly array, and yet there was a clear indication of joy but very little damage discernable in his subtle movements.
I’ve see JAMC live a number of times following their return from hiatus in their 2007 Coachella appearance, and I can say without doubt tonight’s performance was the most electric and exhilarating I have ever seen. First observation is Jim Reid’s vocals have never been better and I have never seen the band tighter or more dynamic.
The tone was eviscerating – thumping scything guitars and a percussive jackhammer beat that almost tore the clothes from your body. The band were animated and invigorated which just added a whole lustre to the performance.
The final song in the encore was ‘Reverence’ and it was like a meeting of tectonic plates – an extended version that was hypnotic and pulse quickening. And even in the quieter moments, there was a barbed-wire spine and laser-precise delivery – ‘Just Like Honey’ raised the hairs on the back of your neck with its statuesque beauty, ‘Sometimes Always’ raw and honest.
Simone Butler from Primal Scream was on bass for this perfomance and provided the iconic backing vocals for ‘Just Like Honey’ and the duet in ‘Sometimes Always’, while Rachel Conti took to the stage for ‘Girl 71’. The second guitarist was Australian Scott von Ryper (The Black Ryder) while on drums was Justin Welch (formerly in Lush, Elastica and Suede). A magnificent, cohesive delivery that gave full glory to the Reid brother’s iconic songs.
One of the best gigs this year. Like a fine wine, JAMC seem to get better with maturity and are better when imbibed in copious amounts.
There was no contempt bred with the familiar – every song sounded stunning and new and yet with the eye watering familiarity that such classics as ‘Darklands’, ‘Happy When It Rains’, ‘Some Candy Talking’ and ‘Taste of Cindy’ can bring. The set list covered the band’s expansive repertoire with a nod to the more recent material:
Jamcod
Head On
Happy When It Rains
All Things Pass
Chemical Animal
Blues From a Gun
In a Hole
Venal Joy
Pure Poor
Some Candy Talking
Girl 71
(Rachel Conti as guest singer on backing vocals)
Sometimes Always
(Simone Butler accompanied on vocals)
Darklands
Just Like Honey
Encore:
Taste of Cindy
I Hate Rock ‘n’ Roll
Reverence
The juggernaut continues across Australia. Presented by SBM, the remaining dates are:
Sat 3 Aug: The Tivoli, Brisbane
Sun 4 Aug: Forum, Melbourne
Tue 6 Aug: Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
Thu 8 Aug: Astor Theatre, Perth
Tickets and details here
Feature Photograph and Gallery: Arun Kendall
