Music

Live Review: Car Seat Headrest @ The Albert Hall

0 829

Photography and words by Georgina Hurdsfield


If you’re a fan of alternative rock music and you don’t know who Car Seat Headrest are – it’s time to get to know them!

After being picked up by Matador Records in 2015 and releasing Teens of Style, their fan base has rapidly grown. Each visit to the UK has seen the venues they play grow bigger and bigger, a somewhat remarkable feat considering their latest effort, Twin Fantasy (Face to Face), is a re-recording of an album previously released in 2011.

Opening the show with ‘Cosmic Hero’, a favourite from Teens of Style, there was a feeling of surprise amongst the crowd that they didn’t opt to open with a more upbeat song from their latest record. However, second track ‘Bodys’ inspired movement in the crowd, despite it being a notably sombre track with an end of summer feeling. The bending floorboards indicated that this was a crowd pleaser that everyone wants to ‘swing their hips’ to, as the song instructs.

Will Toledo gave an enthralling performance as he confidently danced around the stage – exactly what you’d expect from an artist who finally got signed after self-releasing 12 whole albums on Bandcamp. With ironic and introspective lyrics about topics such as teen angst, anxiety and loneliness, Toledo and the rest of the band move nonchalantly through the rest of the set. Although their songs can be lengthy, the set seemed to go by in the blink of an eye.

Car Seat Headrest may be looking into the past by re-recording previous releases, but we can only see the band going further and further forward in terms of popularity and acclaim.

 

About the author / 

Georgina Hurdsfield

Masters student in Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice at Manchester Metropolitan University. Keen photographer and music enthusiast.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • Kaytranada @ Co-Op Live review – a timeless performance

    Featured image and gallery: Jack Oliver After eight packed out performances across Europe Kaytranada arrives at Co-Op Live for his largest show on the European leg of his ‘Timeless Tour’. The 23,000 capacity venue is filled with excited fans who eagerly anticipate the start of the show after energetic performances from Pomo, Lou Phelps and…

  • From Feed to Feet: How gorpcore fashion has boosted communities of young men to walk and talk

    Featured image: Olivia Taberner and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas From Arc’teryx raincoats to mud-clogged Salomons, we explore how outdoor garments have evolved from fashion trends to functional wear – bringing together communities of young men in the process. What began as a Patagonia jacket and a sunrise ambition soon turned into getting “battered at 3am by…

  • The Success of Moss Side filmmaker Baka Bah: “Whenever I do say where I’m from, I automatically see labels pinging over my head”

    Featured image: Yas Lucia Mascarenhas and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas Manchester’s inner-city neighbourhood of Moss Side is often portrayed in the media as a dangerous area, plagued by knife crime and shootings. However, one resident and Manchester Met student – Baka Bah – believes this one-sided story doesn’t reflect the true spirit of his community. While…

  • Queer Lit: Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ bookstore on building a legacy in Manchester

    Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…