There’s a difference between a gig and a performance.
A gig is almost an umbrella term for the whole evening. The venue, the evening, the pint price and the bus home. The whole experience is one, from the band to the smoking area.
In a hard-to-exit basement underneath a Korean restaurant this Friday, Manchester’s Shaking Hand performed. A full rendition of their eponymous debut album in its purest form for all to see.
A full live rendition of an LP, in theory, should be ostentatious. For a band to do a 20-year anniversary rendition carries no risk. They already know how much their fans love it, maybe it’s the reason they broke out and got a career. Victory laps are far less strenuous on the lungs; no gusto is needed to soak up the honours for tried and tested material. To present your art like this, you must be brave. Bravery comes naturally, however, with reassurance. And that is exactly what this three-piece exudes.
Their delivery was concise as the band led the audience track by track.
No one can be carried in a three-piece. Each member of Shaking Hand is an individual cog, forming their sound. The songs weave and fall away into flowing chaos. As the band drive on, they have the ability to somehow hook it back into order. It turns out it never was disorganised or falling apart. It was falling into place. When you step back and look at it, it’s incredibly clear exactly what they wanted to do. This was the reason for a controlled performance. To hand deliver the experience to those spectating.
Their influences run strongly through them; it gives them direction. The rest, however, is all their own work. Pulling from post-hardcore isn’t as straightforward as something like a 60s revival. Watching it in this age is striking, given the distance from the scene itself. Elements of Unwound and Wipers are seen in their free-form crashing soundscapes. A healthy helping of Sonic Youth noise and art is also present in the pot. What makes them special is bringing this together with catchy melodies.
Anyone can be experimental. Sitting in a flat, clanging a hammer against two guitars lashed together with wool wire. Channelling your ‘Krautrock influences’, making music for ears softened by THC’s subtle hindrances. To walk the line between this and melodies that remain in your head sat in the office on a Monday morning, is a testament to their ability.
David Bowie once said he “always had a repulsion to anything easy”. Talent identification came naturally to someone with his gift. Championing the likes of Bauhaus, Pixies and The Stooges before many of us punters. One would like to think Bowie would have had a great time underneath this Korean street food restaurant.
Whilst experiencing it in this controlled solace, you couldn’t help imagining the alternative. The fact that this could equally be received in a sweaty YES Basement with crashing, pulsating pits is an impressive range.
Shaking Hand are casing the streets. Playing relentlessly both by schedule and by nature. Manchester is home to the most exciting bands in the country at this very moment, and Shaking Hand are one of the reasons why.