Chvrches, Manchester Apollo. 19th March 2022

I’m a bit behind with Chvrches. That debut still reminds me of happy times, but we’re 4 albums in now. Not that it’s a problem. I’m not saying they’ve not developed at all, but the formula is there. Songs that sound bright and shiny on the outside, but often hide a deep dark secret. Sometimes it’s a crunching bassline reflective of a gothy undertones delivered with sharp synths. Other times it’s the lyrics that bite, delivered beautifully by Lauren Mayberry. It could be said that she’s the focus. She’s the singer after all and has all the presence of a truly great front woman. There’s a lot going on at a Chvrches (that name is a autocorrect nightmare) gig though. Even in a venue the size of the Apollo with a stage that can easily swallow a band with a few people, they bring enough to keep it captivating. A simple but effective video wall and instructions to the lighting op to not hold back. Okay Mayberry does bring a lot to the party. Making full use of the space at her disposal. Arms aloft in a dress that looks both fabulous and that it’s got a comedy sized coat hanger stuck in it. “This is one of the many depressing songs off our new album” is met with rapturous applause as they tear into ‘How Not to Drown’. There’s no surprise guest appearance from Rob Smith sadly, like there’s been in London and Bristol, but fair enough, Manchester is a bit further to travel for one song. It’s okay, I can wait until later in the year to watch The Cure belt through a three hour set. A costume change sees the coat hanger dress banished for something more practical as the temperature rises. Mayberry’s voice is brilliant. Not powerful in the traditional sense, she’s much higher, cutting effortlessly though the wall of synths, drums and bass. Proudly belting out with that gorgeous Scottish accent, with all the confidence knowing that the three lads behind her have her back with some bruising pop bangers. They’ve also got you if a fight kicks off, which it does and is quickly called out. Martin quicker to react than the security. They should be calling out the amount of phones out recording too. There’s fucking hundreds. PUT THEM AWAY YOU IDIOTS. IT’LL SOUND SHIT ON YOUR CRAP PHONE AND YOU’lLL NEVER WATCH IT AGAIN!! If you can get past the drunks (I’m surprised anyone can get drunk in here at O2 prices!) and the misogynists ogling Lauren then a Chvrches gig is bloody good fun. There’s a lot off the latest album, but we get most of the big singles too. ‘Asking For a Friend’ seeing Mayberry take the stage covered in fake blood proving that they’re possibly the best band around to deliver often poignant and devastating lyrics whilst still making you dance. Follow that with ‘The Mother We Share’ that predictably raises the roof… and MORE FUCKIN PHONES. Chvrches though. Great band. Worth catching up with.