Mogwai: O2 Academy, Leeds – Reside Evaluation

Mogwai | Kathryn Joseph | Fabric
O2 Academy, Leeds
twenty second February 2025

Mogwai take us down into the center of The Dangerous Fireplace and ship a cathartic set of Glaswegian post-rock.

Earlier this yr Glaswegian post-rock giants Mogwai launched their eleventh studio album, The Dangerous Fireplace. Appropriately sufficient for 2025, the identify is taken from a nickname for hell. Now, simply take a second to think about that it’s been over 27 years since they unleashed their debut album – Younger Workforce – upon an unsuspecting world. Since then, these plucky younger upstarts have turn out to be one thing of a post-rock establishment.

Tonight’s viewers is an actual mixture of ages with individuals bringing their youngsters alongside for the present. It’s heartening to see the Mogwai reside expertise being handed right down to the following technology: let’s simply hope they’ve some earplugs handy.

The night begins with a efficiency from fellow Glaswegian outfit, Fabric. The band signed to Mogwai’s Rock Motion label a few years in the past and are at the moment on the verge of releasing their third album, Pink Silence. Twin siblings Rachel (guitar/ vox) and Paul Swinton (guitar) are joined by a drummer for a set of restrained, rhythmic and quietly hypnotic indie pop.

The delicate instrumental interaction is infinitely calming, Rachel’s soothing vocals offering the ultimate piece of this fantastically constructed puzzle; a fraction of Younger Marble Giants minimalism right here and a dream pop melody there. Take the quiet glory of Ladder – which comprises some notably beautiful harmonics – or the breezy brilliance of Polaroid. They wrap up their quick however satisfying set with the ace Demo Love, the primary track they ever launched. After tonight, I’ll definitely be taking a deep dive into their discography.

It’s at all times a pleasure to stumble throughout one thing that feels really singular and Scottish songwriter Kathryn Joesph is one such shock. I actually don’t understand how she’s handed beneath my radar for therefore lengthy. Accompanied by a keyboard, this self-described “disgusting previous witch” has me hooked from the beginning. Sure, I can hear the idle chatter of the again rows however anybody paying consideration is quickly beneath her spell. “Bones you could have thrown me and blood I’ve spilled” she sings over attractive, jazz-inflected keys, her voice shivering and soulful.

Having observed a couple of youngsters within the crowd, she’s attempting her damnedest to not swear. She just about manages it too. An exception is rightfully made when she mentions her final file and the way it’s about individuals coping with abusive conditions. Now, she tells us, she watches abuse unfolding on a mass scale in Palestine and all she has are her “small, offended as FUCK songs.” She finishes her set with an intensely highly effective track about being a survivor. That is the fervour and humanity I wanted to listen to.

Mogwai make music that unfolds like a superb guide – a affected person, detailed and wholly immersive expertise with some really explosive chapters. Like all fascinating artwork, the band create one thing that pulls you in and virtually stops the circulate of time. We’re eased in with the synth-heavy majesty of God Will get You Again. If the band are in a position to see the group by way of the smoke and neon lights, they’ll see rows of pleased, mesmerised faces. Blissful.

I’ll admit, I’m not but overly conversant in the brand new file however what higher strategy to turn out to be acquainted with these songs then by listening to them reside? The band are bathed in purple gentle for the swirling vortex of Hello Chaos. Put together your self expensive reader, we’re heading for the center of the unhealthy hearth. If You Discover This World Dangerous, You Ought to See Some Of The Others is delivered with the triple guitar risk of Braithwaite, Barry Burns and Alex Mackay. Mournful minimalism to thick waves of sound. Nobody does quiet-EXTREMELY LOUD-quiet fairly like Mogwai. These track titles are fairly untouchable too.

The brand new materials is reassuringly mind-blowing, however this can be a band with an undeniably spectacular again catalogue. Take Me Someplace Good is unbelievably stunning, whereas Ritchie Sacramento faucets into some sudden sense of sun-drenched nostalgia. I shut my eyes and let each observe wash over me: it’s rattling close to overwhelming. This music actually is the soundtrack to our lives.

I go searching throughout Christmas Steps and see a close-by teenager standing along with his mouth agape. I do know the sensation. Mogwai stay unarguably epic. New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 1 looks like I’m wading by way of an ocean of stars, the entire universe immediately at my disposal. The monitor finds Braithwaite on bass and Dominic Aitchison on guitar; there’s merely no mixture of Mogwai that doesn’t work. Drummer Martin Bulloch stays the band’s unsung hero as he offers that unshakable spine.

There are quite a few, spine-tingling highlights all through the night time however it will be considerably sacrilegious if I didn’t point out one specific track. Whereas Mogwai are fairly able to taking us someplace good, Like Herod stays an intense and hellish bombardment. I swear I really feel my soul go away my physique when the EXTREMELY FUCKING LOUD half kicks in. It sounds just like the band are wrenching the strings from their devices. Earlier within the night time, somebody shouted that the venue is freezing, so it’s good of Mogwai to show the Academy right into a raging inferno of sound.

You could find Mogwai on Bluesky, Instagram, Fb and Bandcamp.

Fabric are on Instagram, Fb and Bandcamp.

Kathryn Joseph is on Instagram, Fb and Bandcamp.

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Pictures by Neil Chapman (Unholy Racket). You possibly can go to his writer profile for Louder Than Struggle and discover him on Fb and Instagram.

All phrases by Andy Brown. You possibly can go to his writer profile and browse extra of his opinions for Louder Than Struggle right here.