Pressure Point

An overwhelmingly spiritual awakening has only affected this non-believer once before. At 2004’s Reading Festival, New Jersey’s Thursday tore the stage to pieces during the opening bars of their monolithic ‘Autobiography of a Nation’. I stood motionless and captivated against the barrier; my throat dry. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA’S affirmative post-rock songs might not have reached such dizzying heights yet, but they’re sure getting close.

While four out of the five band members look like they’re on field trip from college, their keyboardist, the irrefutably-stylish Chris Freeman, writhes his arms around his head, spastically stamping his bare feet on a filthy floor covered in brightly-coloured leads. Their brash version of ‘Now That You’re Home’ is all Get Up Kids-styled punch and crunch, as audience head nodding is replaced by pulsing limbs. The dynamism of new single ‘Wolves at Night’ is something else altogether, dispelling recent accusations that the band merely ape Death Cab For Cutie.

“We don’t encourage the scenester!’ asserts bearded vocalist Andy Hull. “I mean, I’ve done it!” he smiles, before encouraging the already-swelling crowd to lend their voices (if they’ve learnt the words). After blitzing through ‘Golden Ticket’ with audience participation, the beautiful bare bones of ‘Sleeper 1972’ evoke the honest vulnerability of Onelinedrawing. A few beer ring-pulls are cracked somewhere, nestling surreally amongst my tinnitus and the song’s ethereal requiem.

Moments later, the ambience changes lanes yet again. A mesmerised audience watches the awesome ‘I Can Barely Breathe’ intently, as Hull screams the closing affirmation “We all deserve something” with vim and vigour. The integrity of his barely-concealed Christian belief seeps into his introspective lyricism. Maybe some are uncomfortable with this, but for now, it seems that no one cares an iota. I guess when music is as assured and transparent as this, it justifies itself.

As the evening’s conclusion drew closer, the others filed off stage, leaving Andy Hull apologising for being “sappy and whatnot”, but with sincerity he made it clear that tonight was the best night of the tour. With this tiny room more packed than I’ve witnessed, who could argue?

Words by Matthew Harfield