By Henry Groves
Lanterns on the Lake have been on my gig bucket list for a while now. I was due to see them two years ago in Brighton before they cancelled due to health issues. Now in 2023, I finally got to go and see them, this time with a brand new album, and a slightly new feel to the band. This time in a Concorde 2, with the big curtain up at the back, making the room even more intimate than usual.
Now with two drummers, including Radiohead’s Philip Selway, and Matt Hardy, they give an incredible backing to the bands new and old material. I first started listening to Lanterns on the Lake back in 2020, with their Mercury Prize nomination for their fourth studio album ‘Spook the Herd’. To say I was excited to see them was an understatement.
Even with the change of lineup and composition of the band, they still managed to keep the same atmospheric feel to the music. With lead vocalist Hazel Wilde swapping between keyboard and guitar throughout the set, combined with Paul Gregory’s incredibly intricate and shimmery guitar playing, meant that the sound filled the room. Wilde’s vocals are also unbelievable with her range and tone, producing one of the best vocal performances I have ever seen.
Their set consisted mainly of songs taken from their new album, whilst also including 5 songs from ‘Spook the Herd’. My favourite was ‘Every Atom’ with a delicate feel whilst also having a level of intensity about it. This was the first song I heard by Lanterns on the Lake, and the one that made me love their fourth album, so seeing it live, finally after 2 years, was as incredible as expected.
To see a band like Lanterns of the Lake manage to transfer the quality and intricacy of their albums into a live show has truly made me want more. Let’s hope for another tour in 2024, and if you haven’t listened to them or seen them live, I cannot recommend them enough.
