Working Mens Club, Yes (Pink Room). 4th October 2020

I’m at a gig. With a band. It is loud. I’m so happy! Alright it’s not quite the same as gigs once were, this is a socially distanced gig. I’m sat down with about 50 other people. There’s a one way system ensuring we don’t mingle. There’s no cheering or singing. I can’t pretend it’s as good, but dammit I’ve missed live music and I’m thankful to be here. Thank you to Yes for making this happen and thank you to Working Mens Club for be bloody fantastic!... and they are! I’ve seen this band countless times now and I think every time I mention how staggering the change in their sound has been since they started. It is a bit of a shame in my opinion, but that early sound has been totally obliterated now. Replaced with an ear bludgeoning set of aggressive electronics and blissed out beats. It’s like The Fall meets New Order with a bit of Adamski, because why the hell not, it’s magnificent! Electropunk, splashed with shoegaze, big beat and violent techno, it’s an odd mix, but really does raise the pulse beautifully. Granted I’m gig starved, this is my first gig in 7 months, but WMC really are a spectacular band to be making a come back with. I’m on the front row, the smoke machine set to choke, making me do just that. Thankfully it’s so loud, no one around me bats an eyelid. For 45 minutes they blast through their newly (and finally) released debut as Sydney Minsky-Sargeant stalks Yes’ pink bathed stage like a man possessed. You’d think in this muted environment, he lose a little of his edge... nope. He’s a snarling bag of angular energy. The bass is brutal, both from Liam Ogburn’s guitar and Rob Graham’s bank of synths and it’s really quite difficult to stay still in your seat. So I give up as heads bounce and feet do things they normally wouldn’t. It’s sometimes difficult to discern where sounds are coming from with so many keyboards on stage, but I don’t care. The sound is immense and everyone looks cool as fuck, especially Mairead O'Connor who’s entire demeanour screams “I don’t care”. I’m not gonna tell you that WMC are the perfect band or that their debut is a solid 10/10, but they remain undoubtably one of the most exciting new bands out there. Packed with the aggression and attitude that every band needs in this shitest of years. For just under an hour I completely forget what the world is dealing with. I’m lifted. Transported. I’m home. As for socially distanced gigs, maybe this is the norm for a while. It’s not perfect, but on the plus side you get your beer brought to you after ordering with a QR code, that bit stays I hope.