The Cathedral.
As venues go, this is a tough one to get past. For most bands it would merely be a gimmick. For Augustines it is possibly the perfect venue, but also possibly their nemesis. There is no doubt they can fill the space, heck, when live they can consume it. Devour every cubic foot of static history. And they do.
The venue swells with majesty and glory. Their sound has a grand triumphalism that wonderfully seeks to fill the meticulously detailed and cavernous void with the hope-over-adversity that it is designed to bring to all who gather there. With this combination, spirituality is a very real possibility.
But the duality of the church is reflected in the duality found in Augustines, only in reverse. Where the Cathedral seeks redemption through quiet contemplation, Augustines find theirs through plaintive cries to the heavens. In contrast, the Cathedral passionately and loudly expresses its love in its every detail, by its very dominant presence. While Augustines find love in the subtlety and simplicity.
And the fear that the Cathedral’s presence as part of the show, as almost a central feature of the show, could overshadow this lighter side of their powerful live performances is a real one. A concern they seem to share, as they start big and keep big going for some time. Although when it comes to Augustines, big is good. In fact it’s better than good, it’s biblical (so sorry for the pun), it’s stunning; the crowd erupt for each song, and sing. Sing. Then sing. And sing some more. The crowd know every line of every song. Is it the band or the venue that causes such fervent devotion? ‘Chapel Song‘ stands out amongst an impressive pack, as a moment of truly powerful shared experience.
So when such powerful momentum is brought to a halt, and the lights come down, it brings with it a tension, an apprehension that the band might be about to be derailed. Yet the awesome power and simplicity of the performance of ‘Walkabout‘, and how it manages to elevate its surroundings rather than be elevated by them, is beautiful. Frontman Billy McCarthy’s voice can have such raw power, yet within a breath and a heartbeat it can become something else. Something wondrous. Truly wondrous.
And so it continues. Every song as powerful as the last, and every one as brilliant. They play everything, absolutely everything it seems. And all are embraced with true joy – when they reach a second encore and take to the crowd, as is their want, all bets are off. Covers are performed and climb walls, they share drinks with the audience and blaspheme because it’s wrong, so very wrong. Or is it right. Who can tell anymore?
It is in these shared moments that Augustines truly shine, and their sincerity is returned ten-fold. McCarthy is a man who can gush; his passionate love for an audience has no inhibitions. Yet it never feels contrived, and is always received with nothing but warmth. It is a dialogue, along with the music, that is a passionate and heated one. Moments like ‘Now You Are Free‘ and ‘Juarez‘ are brilliant, while ‘Book Of James‘ and ‘Philadelphia (The City of Brotherly Love)‘ hit hard.
Yet it turns out tonight is about two things, and neither turn out to be the venue, as regardless of its stature in this city, tonight it has been surpassed. Tonight is all about the breathtakingly beautiful ‘The Avenue‘, which shimmers within the setting and is raised beyond its own limitations by the second wondrous thing about tonight: reciprocation.
Everyone and everything is giving something back. This act of giving, giving everything, is not just coming from the band, and that is where the joy and excitement of tonight’s show truly comes from. It is a spectacular performance from both band and audience alike. That is what makes Augustines so thrilling live, as tonight they are not alone.
And that surely is the very point of a cathedral.
Thanks for a great review. I have been following the band since 2011 and am really proud of their music and live performances. It is difficult to keep finding superlatives which express just how good they are – awesome, phenomenal, amazing etc. I think the superlative which fits them the most and just says it all is SPECIAL. I saw the play the Night and Day and move up to the Ritz within one year, they played it humble for the tour earlier this year and did the Academy. And then the cathedral, a special place for a truly special band. I reckon that within 2 or 3 years they will be playing the Apollo and the MEN or whatever it is called now is probably where they will end up. Three lovely guys with great talent and passion, and yes they do care about their audience and always have time for them. I’m so glad I found them early, thank you Glasvegas for choosing them as their support band in 2011.
I have just discovered this review some 6 months after the gig and it wonderfully brings back such great memories of a simply stunning night, the band & the fans were as one that night! Thankfully these guys just love to play live and are back on our shores next month where I will see them play warm up gigs in York & London prior to their summer of festivals, don’t miss them?
I have only just discovered this review and it simply brings back wonderful memories of a simply stunning, never to be forgotten night! Thankfully I only have to wait another 6 weeks before seeing the guys perform again in the UK. After seeing them in Leeds, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester in the last 3 years I’m off to gigs in York and London hopefully proving that’s it’s worth travelling the length and breadth of the country to see the best live band in the world