Pale Blue Eyes, Gorilla. 9th April 2025

I’m cutting it fine again tonight, trying to squeeze life in around gigs, so I walk into Gorilla about 30 seconds before the band walk on stage. 10 minutes ago I was in Band on the Wall listening to a creative from Aardman talk about the importance of fun and silliness in animation. Now I’m being bathed in driving atmospheric shoegaze with ‘Scrolling’ from tonight’s band, Pale Blue Eyes. Aubrey on bass nods his head with the sort of feeling, that you know it’s all channeling through his very core and within seconds I’m totally on board and locked in. They’re a smiley bunch, grinning to one another on ‘TV Flicker’ as they build to a crescendo of squalling riffs and throbbing synths. They sound sublime on ‘Rituals’ too, with the three vocals harmonising on the chorus, we’re only a few songs in and I’m utterly smitten. The lush and lazy ‘Honeybear’ follows and I begin to float a little. In a band where so much is about the guitars, it’s worth pointing out that Lucy on drums is killing it. Together with the bass they’re a formidable duo. More love for the rhythm section please. They give the guitars on ‘Under Northern Sky’ space to soar. Matt’s angelic vocals matching them, he sounds fantastic. Hats off to the sound desk, the mix tonight is perfect. The wankers at the back are talking though, so down the front I go for ‘The Dreamer’. This song is beautifully ethereal, but talking during it or any set should be punishable by having your head gaffer-taped to a speaker stack. ‘More’ is a funky little pop ear-worm. From the new third record New Place, it sees them spreading their wings a little and it’s delightful to hear them unfurl. Before they kick back in with ‘Motionless’, it’s teasing false finale making way for a freeform coda where they’re really get to let go. It’s not quite as wild as Déjà Vega, but we’re in the same wheelhouse. Matt punches the air as they close it. I love watching bands like this, clearly loving it as much as the audience. ‘Our Lost Words’ hits the emotion pedal again and we all blur together, transfixed in a sea of bobbing heads, before the big anthemic riffs kick in. With a bit of added percussion and the guitars set to jangle, ‘Chelsea’ starts out with hippy vibes, the mirrorball is switched on and we’re off into mammoth indie banger territory. Not the rawk kind, although there is some impressive shredding, more the sort that sticks with you long after you’ve ruined your favourite shoes at the all night disco. After an hour that passes in the blink of an eye, they tease the final song with a triumphant ‘Sister’ before wrapping for real with ‘Half Light’. I hope I don’t sound grumpy saying that although it’s catchy and has some dark Cure-esque vibes, it’s not my favourite, but honestly after a set like this they can do what ever the fuck they want. This is my first time in the room with them. It won’t be the last. The chap from Aardman was bloody good too.