RIDE @ Freo.Social
Ride @ Freo.Social
w/ The Deenys
Sunday, December 4, 2022
Amidst the slew of big-name acts that have come to Perth recently, England’s Ride may have flown under the radar but they were certainly not forgotten. Freo.Social was near capacity with fans coming to hear one of shoegaze’s definitive acts.
The show kicked into gear not long after doors opened, with a very pleasant surprise in the chiming jangle pop sounds of Perth’s own The Deenys. British Isle pop was on the menu for the evening, as this band was comprised of all UK and Irish expats. Their sound reflected this, with frontman Drewe McAllister’s inflections recalling Fontaines D.C. at points. The band had more of a pop bend than the Irish post-punk giants though, with the soaring chords and arpeggios of tracks like Life Goes On and upcoming single Coming Home getting the crowd moving. Polished and imminently listenable, they will be a band to watch for all lovers of guitar pop.
Ride came on to swelling sounds and lights and launched into Seagull soon after. The track is the opener to Ride’s debut Nowhere, the album upon which this tour is built. Ride certainly weren’t messing about with the album angle, with the first half of the show devoted to each track on the album played in order. Aside from the performances themselves, it’s worth reflecting what a wise move the album-as-tour was for Ride.
Nowhere is perfectly suited to the live treatment. Released in late 1990, the album was rightfully acknowledged as a classic on release. Each track is finely balanced, with shimmering vocal hooks layered atop driving riffs, scattershot drums and at times jangly, at times distorted walls of sound. Yet the album’s sounds had a charming homespun quality, not as reliant on the studio-as-instrument and overt effects as some other albums in the genre. The album’s grounding in jangle pop and tight riffs makes it very transferrable live, and its end-to-end bangers serve as a veritable greatest hits.
Opener Seagull’s riffage was felt harder than on the studio original, as swirling walls of sound carried the track to its crescendo. Kaleidoscope captured all the youthful energy of its studio counterpart, with Mark Gardener and Andy Bell’s twin vocals feeling like they’d not skipped a beat and a big solo closing the track out. The jangly tones and beautiful melody of In A Different Place were entrancing and highlighted one of the strengths of the show, which was the excellent sound balance.
The lead riffs and jangly arpeggios were crystal clear against the raucous and swirling rhythm guitar which enveloped the listener but never threatened to overwhelm the entire band’s sound. The rhythm section cut through excellently as well, as on the repeating drum figures of following track Polar Bear. That track’s heavy phased guitars once again gave it more punch than the original. Likewise for Decay, whose signature repetitive riff had a more metallic quality live and leant it an even more frantic pace than on record. Paralyzed saw the band letting loose with blasts of guitar noise wah-wahed and phased to oblivion, before tapering the instruments away close with lone bass and key strikes. Last but certainly not least was seminal single Vapour Trail, a 90s classic which translated excellently to the stage. Bell’s vocal was blissful and the swirling guitar backing was equally so, as both carried listeners downstream.
Above all, Ride showed that they’ve matured into more of a rock band in the intervening years since the Nowhere‘s release. The tracks were louder, more energetic, riffier and tighter-sounding than the originals. Ride demonstrated their breadth for the remainder of the set, first playing some Nowhere bonus material in earlier singles Taste, Unfamiliar and Nowhere. Unfamiliar was particularly effective, with dexterous drumming and its churning chords which sounded monstrous live. If there was one complaint it’s that this earlier material didn’t capture initial single Chelsea Girl, an early highlight that was called for a few times but alas never came.
The remainder of the show was reserved for the band’s post-Nowhere material. Thankfully they’ve had an excellent (and, if anything, vastly underrated) career, branching off into at times rockier, at times more psychedelic directions. Highlights included the synth pulse and big, Oasis-esque melodies of 2017’s Lannoy Point, the poppy and twangy bliss of 2019’s Future Love, and the short, bassy and heavy Kill Switch from the same year. The best was reserved for last though, with another iconic single in 1992’s baggy-influenced Leave Them All Behind. It’s the perfect distillation of the Ride sound and it ripped live, with its staccato synth line serving as the bedrock for its iconic riff and all sorts of beautiful live guitar noise. The band played the track out to its full eight minute run time, taking punters on one final journey before the lights came on.
MATIJA ZIVKOVIC
Photos by Linda Dunjey
