Chances are you’ve noticed the heat has been rising these past couple of weeks. Constant sweaty brow, fashionable armpit patches and singed forearm hair have been this month’s go-to looks for most. They even let us wear shorts in the office the other day (can you imagine?)
It’s Friday night in Manchester and thankfully, whilst the sun has still got its hat on, it’s at least dropped the temperature a bit to make doing anything other than breathing manageable. It’s something we’re grateful for, given we’re down in the basement of Soup Kitchen in Manchester’s Northern Quarter for the return of COWTOWN.
Ahead of them, TONSILS from Belgium were a pleasant set-up for what was to come. We managed to squeeze into the room to catch their last moments, the quintet tucking into ‘Around’ from their last EP. As it started to spit outside, it felt nice to have their lo-fi pop wash over us in the cool basement, the song building from great twinkling pop beginnings to a loud, grin-inducing crescendo.
Well-oiled would be a good descriptor for COWTOWN. Staples of the DIY scene in Leeds and with a number of records under their collective belts over the past decade, they’ve never been ones to disappoint, particularly in a live setting. Heavy on the DEVO vibes, no complaints.
Personal favourite ‘Ski School’ comes out early, a hot piece from their 2013 record ‘Dudes vs. Bad Dudes’ that sounds joyous. It’s from the same record that we get the spiky, kraut-y ‘Monotone Face’, notable for the brilliant robotic monotone voice adopted by Hilary on the synth.
“David does an excellent Rick Moranis…” We’re told following an onstage chat about Ghosbusters. Whilst we’d have to take guitarist Nash’s word for it, there’s no denying the chops of the drummer, cooking up a rock hard backing behind Nash and Hilary, holding an intense stare-off with the latter during the build of ‘Castleman’, whilst Nash channels his inner John Dwyer, his guitar squeaking and howling.
Having dished out thanks for everyone behind the show and the “extremely polite audience”, COWTOWN get heads nodding and feet moving on the poppy ‘Emojicore’, closer from their last album ‘Paranormal Romance’. It’s fitting that DEVO played immediately after the last note, given the synth-heavy nod from the trio to their American forefathers.
Following thunder and lightning and hot hot heat throughout the week, this felt like a necessary palate cleanser for the mind. We’d have this every week if possible.
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