In the Court of…Tom Ravenscroft
Ghostpoet, Girls Names, Songs For Walter
The Mac Belfast, friday 27th September
Manchunion band Songs For Walter take to the stage first and start tuning up while front man Laurie Hulme explains that the songs we are about to hear are indeed for Walter, his late grandfather who lived an extraordinary life. The crowd, while appreciative, seems wary and settles along the back wall of the venue muttering and chatting amongst themselves between songs.
Playing songs such as Purple Blue about his grandparents wedding and Meet Me at the Empire about their first date, Songs For Walter aren’t short on nostalgia, but are not by any means clouded and over-sentimental and the audience seems to endear themselves to this, laughing at Hulme’s jokes and moving ever so slightly closer to the stage.
Stopping only to mumble “thanks” and to take a sip of wine, Girls Names aren’t too talkative tonight, but you get the impression that they aren’t too chatty any night. Finishing with the mammoth seven and a half minute long title-track from their new album The New Life, Girls Names keep their heads down and just power through it, leaving the stage before the music finishes in one final, almost defiant flourish. At this point it’s safe to say that the atmosphere is tense, but the music is flawless.
Kicking his set off with an older track Gaaasp from his debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam, Ghostpoet takes the audience on an intimate musical journey through the ups and downs of his life, his fears of wasting time and being rejected. Brand new single, Cold Win is perhaps the most impactful track played tonight, with Ghostpoet screeching and cackling down the microphone, the crashing drums mimicking some kind of psychological breakdown. It’s totally unexpected and the crowd stands quiet before breaking into rapturous applause.
After a two-song encore, this night of new and at times jarring musical styles is over. As the lights come up, the crowd all look a bit stunned, unsure of what they have just experienced. It’s obvious that Tom Ravenscroft’s aim of introducing the Northern Irish public to interesting and fresh new music has definitely been fulfilled.
Words: Laura Caldwell
Photos: Robin Cordiner
