Words originally for Outline Magazine
 |
| L-R: Rhydian Davies, Ritzy Bryan, Matt Thomas |
Welsh
trio The Joy Formidable made their musical return this year after three years
away with Hitch, an album that’s been
bogged down in poor reviews and lack of interest. Tonight they find themselves
at OPEN, Norwich, where it seems absolutely anything could happen.
The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade
is an explosive opener, its repetitive hook engulfing the room as Ritzy Bryan,
Rhydian Davies and Matt Thomas bound on stage to take their positions. Their
eyes are wide; Bryan and Davies jolt and jerk like encaged animals and wield
their instruments like weapons, firing out gargantuan riffs over Thomas’
vicious drumming. OPEN is by no means full, but what space there is left is
swiftly flooded with screams, buzzes and crashes.
Little Blimp and This Ladder is Ours – from 2013’s ‘Wolf’s Law’ – sound as daisy
fresh as they do youthfully passionate. The orchestral element they host on
record is mostly lost, save for the odd piano tinkle from Davies, but a more
mature rock essence arises in its place. It becomes clear just how musically expert
the trio are as they dip in and out of intense concentration, commanding their
beastly sound with great ease and passion. Technical difficulties arise once or
twice but they’re dealt with swiftly and smoothly.
A
reminiscent tone is held for most of the show. Heartfelt comments about “great
memories of Norwich” come alongside gracious thanks for sticking with the band after
their time away. It’s an emotional performance, made all the more moving by the
powerful vigour that every track carries. Wolf’s
Law starts slowly before erupting into an upbeat rock number, flowing
seamlessly into the bassy fuzz monster that is Maw Maw Song.
The Last Thing On My Mind, from ‘Hitch’,
is a slap in the face to any middle-of-the-road music reviewers who haven’t already
been shot down on social media. It’s a hurricane of silky vocals and fierce,
spiky guitar prickles, pointing towards the end of the show with a mighty
reprise to end. The Leopard and the Lung
closes the main set and there’s a sense of anxiety in the room that we’ll hear
no more.
But
an encore comes, after a painfully tense break no less. Bryan and Davies perform
The Brook acoustically from within
the audience in a magical moment, serving as solid proof that underneath all the
spiralling feedback, there’s true raw talent in this band. They hop back on
stage for the enormous Radio of Lips,
before Whirring closes a mighty
comeback show in deservedly merciless fashion; Davies leaps on the drum kit, Bryan
triumphantly sticks her guitar through the ceiling and the trio’s enormous
stage personas reach new heights. They exit stage as excited as they entered, sufficiently
proving that The Joy Formidable are back, and they’re here to stay.
Hitch by The Joy Formidable is out now.
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