Ist Ist, Bury Met. 28th September 2019

A Saturday night in Bury is an eye-opener, once you’ve battled through the friendly folk spilling out of countless pubs blaring out awful music (shockingly bad), you reach the quite marvellous Met... where the music is so much better. This is venue really is quite superb, a theatre space with a cozy feel that’s actually a decent size. Support band Our Fold, who I’d dismissed after listening to on Spotify this afternoon are actually pretty good and with clearly a few friends in the building audience, kick things off well with some slightly by the numbers, but tight, fun, indie power pop. I’m here for something a bit darker though, something more brooding, I’m here for Ist Ist. Four lads sweep on stage dressed in black and deliver an hour of intense, majestic post punk that can only be made in Manchester. These songs drip with atmospheric drama and Adam Houghton’s devastating baritone vocals threaten to blow out the windows of the Yate’s across the street. There’s some real bangers in the set too, with ‘Emily’ getting everyone bouncing, as the lighting guy gets to have some fun with the strobes on a pretty impressive rig... it is a theatre after all. There’s some newer stuff as well, ‘Under Your Skin’ (I think) is a slow mantra with a synth line reminiscent of Sister of Mercy. As the set comes to a close with ‘Diversion’ the place goes nuts and the four unassuming blokes nod and drift off stage. It’s cold and wet outside, with the streets now peppered with pissed up morons, but Ist Ist leave you with joy ringing in your ears.