Stars of the Lid

"The best noisemakers are not necessarily the best peacemakers"

This mantra, played before Stars of the Lid make their highly anticipated performance, would, under normal circumstances, lead SOTL fans into discussions of their epic and textured sound that enchants and transports the listner into new and exciting aural landscapes. However, the gig tonight is NOT under normal circumstances.

For those who don't know the Star & Garter, it stands (barely) alone in the red-light district of Manchester and looks as though it could have been built before Jesus was knee-high to a grasshopper.

So when we are told that SOTL will have to play IN THE BAR because all the power has been lost upstairs in the normal gig venue, it isn't all that surprising. It then transpires that the whole electricity supply is in danger of possibly burning down the worlds oldest building- Brian McBride of SOTL gets shocked at least twice whilst trying to set up their equipment!

Eventually the show begins in the tiny bar with the eager audience sat in a horseshoe on the floor as if waiting for a bedtime story..... but the children will be restless tonight... SOTL play ONE song! Admittedly it's the fantastic "Music For Twin Peaks Episode#30" from 1997's "The Ballested Orchestra", but songs like this NEED to be set in context with others, they don't work to their full amazing effect when they stand alone- it's like Punch without Judy. Added to this is the fact that SOTL play without a sampler or keyboards due to the fact that it's too risky to even plug them into the wall sockets!

What we do hear of SOTL is utterly compelling, brainwashing us with their meshings of field recordings and waves of sound that flood our lungs to the point of rupture and then leaves us sedatedly floating on the ensuing calm. Maybe a full on sonic assault would have been too much for our senses to take, but tonight we leave disappointed and slightly cheated by what could have been an incredible show.