SHELLAC | LIVE REVIEW
The Tramshed, Cardiff, Mon 30 May
It’s a bank holiday Monday night and Shellac are glad to be in Wales. “It’s like England’s Canada,” comments frontman Steve Albini to a mix of laughs and bafflement before adding “No really – nicer people, better food…”. Playing one of three UK shows at the relatively new Tramshed, the place seems like a perfect fit for them. Although Shellac haven’t put out a new release since 2014’s Dude Incredible there’s still a good turnout for tonight’s show. The crowd is a mix of ages, but given Steve’s history in bands such as Big Black and his prominence as a record producer it’s no surprise to see fans both old and new filling up the venue. Almost two and a half years after they last toured the UK, this is a rare chance for those who missed them before to see what they’re all about.
The trio start with A Minute from their debut At Action Park, but things really kick off when the likes of Squirrel Song and My Black Ass get the crowd cheering and moving around. Newer tracks like Dude Incredible and You Came In Me sit well among the classics, and the band even pause between songs for a Q&A session with bassist Bob Weston. Questions range from how he gets a certain bass sound to whether he thinks Donald Trump will win the election (“Jesus Christ, I fucking hope not”).
Later highlights include unreleased track Defenders Of Fun, as well as favourites Prayer To God and Dog And Pony Show getting excellent renditions. Towards the end, the band live up to their branding as a self-described “minimalist rock trio”, The End Of Radio throbbing along slowly as drummer Todd Trainer rises up from the back of the stage, holding a snare high above him and beating it like a ceremonial drum. The slow burn builds up to Steve improvising around the lyrics before the “Can you hear me now?” refrain makes the song burst into life.
It’s a much more intense track live than on record, and it’s in a live environment that Shellac really come into their own. Although Steve Albini may be older and seemingly past his days of courting controversy, he can still put on a great show. Let’s hope it’s not another two and a half years before they return.
words MATT LEE photo GRACE TODD