Woodland Centre, Stornoway, 2 October 2009

NOW I’D never be one to form an opinion before seeing a show, but this one would be tempting. Take an enterprising move by Stornoway pop missionaries Beyond and Honcho Promotions, to wire-in to a north of Scotland tour by a band that’s had a single placed in the UK top 5. Give a local lad, Sean Harrison by name, the warm-up space but encourage him to push the boat out with an expanded line-up.

Turin Brakes (© Lauren Maitland)

Of course, you’d quite like to say that the headlining duo, Turin Brakes, were maybe losing their head of steam and the newcomer stormed the session. Indeed, Sean Harrison’s hypnotic singing voice adapted well to the backing vocals and fine cello accompaniment. A mood built up soon in the packed Woodland Centre. I wedged myself into a vantage point in the feature stairway and soaked in the rising melody lines.

A word about the venue. The architect Neil Sutherland collaborated with the Stornoway Trust a few years before the millennium and made full use of access to excellent joinery skills and a workforce with a real feel for timber as a main material for exterior and interior construction.

The post and beam method uses the immense strength of timber sections joined with patent galvanized fittings. So what you see has an elegance, and there is no need to disguise or cover the method of construction. It’s difficult to imagine a more atmospheric venue for this scale of amplified acoustic gig.

Now I’d make a parallel here with the superbly made songs of the main men. From the first chords, the flawless rhythm of one guitar offset the lyrical picking on the other. And the harmonies didn’t fight that, but each of the voices entered fully into the contract. This is a band which has been strong since 1999. They have a loyal following and were nominated for a Mercury Music prize.

From the well-warmed audience reaction, it was clear they were opening with known anthems. But if there was any tiredness in the often-repeated performance I couldn’t detect it. That level of craftsmanship has the hiss of a favourite plane on well chosen timber.

The finish ain’t polish. It’s the right number of notes to make the song ring, the repetitions, the small chimes and counter-rhythms which will offset a line. The lyrics also have that surreal touch which makes them memorable. I’ve never heard anyone described as having WD40 in their veins before. Or take the urge and the imagery of “setting the dark on fire”.

And it’s just possible that this quality of strangeness is what young Mr Harrison needs to lift his already fine songs that bit further to make them memorable. And of course these extra years of making and performing songs. Gale Paridjanian and Olly Knights have ten years of working together since The Door, their first EP. It’s not only about the success of ‘Pain Killer’ – that Top Five mark. We can all think of successes you’d rather forget. Nor is it about quantity – though their 5th album release is in the system.

I didn’t think I knew any of these songs, but when you hear ‘Future Boy’ or ‘Underdog Save Me’, it’s somehow entered your mind before. As one strong song, known to the majority of the audience or not, followed another, we all swayed together. It’s all about sustained concentration – being professional without being just too slick. These guys can develop from that elusive spark without smothering it.

So this was a well-taken opportunity to catch this quality of performance. And make a link with the appropriate local performer. It was a sell-out, helped by a marketing system that links with an Lanntair. I met some of the audience out for a pint later. There was that something in the air. An unspoken concensus that you’d been at a satisfying gig.

© Ian Stephen, 2009

Links

• Turin Brakes
• Sean Harrison
• Ian Stephen