The Slow Readers Club, Liverpool Academy. 11th September 2022

It’s “READERS READERS READERS” time again. It’s been a while since I watched them with an adoring crowd. I saw them support Pixies this summer, but the crowd were largely ignorant to The Slow Readers Club charms. Not so tonight in Liverpool, the hardcore are in. First up though are Klangstof, who are a bit like a striped back Jungle, with a dose of a slightly grittier The XX. Lots of nice clean synths, crisp beats and swooning vocals. It’s mellow in places and pretty great, but they’re also capable of dislodging the trapped ticker tape in the rigging. Latest single ‘Truth’ is a saucy little number, with a rhythm that will both get you bobbing and keep you on your toes. I like them, the sound is interesting, but I definitely need to hear more recorded stuff. Live they feel like they’re still finding their way, understandable as they’re playing as a three piece for the first time, having had to leave their guitarist back in Amsterdam, but they can pack an epic wallop and I’m definitely taken with them, they’re well worth checking out. Readers by comparison feel like live veterans. They are that perfect combination of feeling effortlessly tight, whilst not losing that raw edge. I’ve reviewed them that much, is there anything left to say? Well they sound amazing obviously. The sound inside Liverpool Academy is thick and bassy. Trapping that epic guitar sound marvellously. Aaron is is fine voice too, maybe the best I’ve heard him and there’s a clear confidence in a band that are maturing into their sound. With an ever growing catalogue, there’s a lot of tunes to choose from and we get quite a mix. Some of the deeper cuts do slow the crowd a touch, but there’s never a big hitter far away and every song gets massive applause. It is a much changed set from those pre-pandemic performances, as it should be, stand still and you’ll die. Readers aren’t going to let that happen. This is an ambitious band. When those crowd pleasers land though, there’s a ripple of excitement that detonates throughout the room, as the opening notes are recognised. There’s a sense they can do anything, I can’t imagine anything more freeing for a band. They lean heavily on The Joy of the Return and as a result there’s a few songs I’m hearing live for the first time which is a real treat. Inevitably for me it’s ‘Forever in Your Debt’ that gets the blood flowing. It’s a beautiful song wrapped in a deadly tune. ‘Plant The Seed’ sees Aaron flexing his stage craft with a call and response on the chorus. A Reader’s audience do not disappoint and deliver with pin point raucous accuracy. ‘You Opened Up My Heart’ is Readers at they’re best as Aaron teases the crowd, “Liverpool you can tell you’re a musical city, you even clap in time. Almost as good as the Germans, they’re the best so far". ‘On the TV’ seems to resonate more and more every time I hear it “The world is on fire, we’ve all gone insane” and a full on attack is declared as ‘I Saw a Ghost’ is unleashed. ‘Like I Wanted To’ from 91 Days in Isolation might not be the most obvious banger, but fuck me it’s brilliant live and brings the set to an amazing close, before the acoustic guitars come out for the encore. “Get your torches out, light us up a bit” says Aaron as they deliver ‘Block Out the Sun’ with a spine tingling version. ‘Lunatic’ finishes us off with its typically epic bombast as we’re sent back out into the Merseyside drizzle. Why do we like live music? Sure it’s connecting with the songs, but there’s something about doing that in a room full of people that feel that too. I can’t think of many bands that do that on this level quite as well as Readers. “A simple song, can set you free”.