Ist Ist, Gorilla. 16th March 2019

After a shattering day and night in London yesterday I really needed a lift this evening. Ist Ist might not be the band that most would turn too though, with their dark laden tunes, but it’s the slow powerful pace of these local lads that perfectly hit the spot. Manchester has a rich history with this sound and there is certainly a debt to Joy Division, be it the imagery or Adam Houghton’s devastating baritone vocal performance. Gorilla can be a hit or miss venue too, but in here Ist Ist sound great. True it’s not as fitting as the last venue I saw them play, the unusual St. Philips Church, but for the pure power of the sound emanated, Gorilla wins hands down. Every song builds with a force that belies their still fairly new status and that vocal is truly disarming. Worth a mention too are Red Light Effect, another local band who opened and sound very promising. Nothing tops Ist Ist tonight though and not even some pissed up old bastards can spoil proceedings (it used to be the kids who misbehaved, now it’s the over fifties brigade who need to learn some manners). Music once again saves the day!