Music

Live review: Lo Moon @ Night & Day

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A sweating Manchester welcomes L.A. band Lo Moon to a heaving Night & Day, on a Saturday that sees a loss for United fans and a win for royalists.

By Sarah Lane

Whether drowning sorrows or feeling the love, the emotionally-driven crescendos of Lo Moon offer a fitting underscore to a day of highs and lows for the city’s inhabitants. Outside, a waiting crowd forms. An undercurrent of excitement buzzes beneath as we mill about, in the worn-out remnants of a sun-browned day.

Touring their eponymous debut album, Lo Moon are building a loyal following. Their performances supporting London Grammar had clearly impressed and fans travelled far, keen for more of the elusive four. Recently sharing a stage with the likes of Phoenix, Temples and Ride plus appearing at Lollapalooza and on Jimmy Kimmel, Lo Moon is ready to headline.

Pale origami stars dot the roof inside, fitting somehow for Lo Moon’s road-movie stylings, soundtrack perfection for driving at night. Paper white skull-chains hang the beams, propping the band’s favoured themes of life, death and the afterlife, as featured in the Warren Fu directed video for single ‘Loveless’. A steamy haze surrounds the casual affection of couples as the venue plays 90s trip-hop.

Canada’s Boniface bound in on white Reeboks looking fresh-faced and hopeful, diving into a rousing soundscape, exclaiming “Isn’t it marvellous?” and emerging through the crashing energy of their second track. Jeans and t-shirts bounce through guitar-powered tracks littered with sparkling keys, dashes of moog and a passionate, if slightly offbeat, drumming style. Puppy eyes plead for the audience to witness the depths of longing. Visible vulnerability morphs into strength as the track progresses.

Boniface play out with the aching strains of ‘I Will Not Return As A Tourist’. A fan from afar accosts the guitarist on his path to the green room, requesting a picture that is graciously accepted. A fitting support act that musically could be Lo Moon’s younger cousins, offering similar peaking waves of love and loss.

A sufficiently oiled crowd welcome the main event as they amble on. Lyricist Matt calls “How are we doing? Nice and sticky?” as the four steer smoothly into an insistent ‘This Is It’ to responsive cheers. Lo Moon’s passionate sound crashing on shores of vulnerability and intimacy. We ebb and flow between stillness and strength, power and peace. They play with a focus and intensity that could blast a venue much bigger and more air-conditioned than Night & Day.

Contrasting the slightly offbeat stylings of the support’s drummer, new band member Sterling crushes a tight and powerful rhythm. Guitarist Sam remains absorbed and bassist Crisanta focused as they push into ‘Thorns On The Rose’. Audience and band loosen, responding to each other, throwing the feels back and forth.

The comparatively upbeat ‘Wonderful Life’ provides an eerie landscape for Sterling’s drums to smash through. Matt calls out: “Holy shit we’re so fucking far from home, but it feels like home. Thanks for sweating with us.” A soft nod to Springsteen’s influence on a cover of ‘Bonny’ gives a moment’s reprieve from otherwise relentless rousing crescendos. Twinkling keys bring welcome relief from the thick waves of sweat and sound. Pure noise destroys the ghostly atmosphere in a chaotic minute of release as sunset hues light up satisfied smiles. Lo Moon are cohesive, tuned in. Music and vocals swarm each other, neither steals. A unified force growing as one.

All but Sterling sing ‘I Tried To Make You My Own’, rocking out in headbang frenzy. Sterling pounds with increasing intensity as the crowd drench the band in enthusiastic cheers. A foot-tapping packed-out venue bops its head. Sam’s guitar breaks the steamy haze as Crisanta’s thrumming bass and Sterling’s drums carry us to the finish line. Despite the impolite early calls for ‘Loveless’, the band save their star track for the finale. The powerful sound of the single reverberates through our bones as the band stride out to cheers, claps and whistles from a trembling crowd.

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