SUUNS / GIANT SWAN | LIVE REVIEW
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Wed 24 Aug
Suuns recently kicked off a tour fresh off the back of their third release, this year’s Hold/Still, and tonight the Canadian band returned to Cardiff for a headline set at Clwb Ifor Bach. On before them are Bristol duo Giant Swan: hunched over a table of electronic gear, they play a set of danceable noise, layering on effects and samples in a set that gets increasingly loud as it goes on, until you feel the bass vibrating through the floor beneath you. Black Dice and Fuck Buttons are two bands they bring to mind initially, although they seem to throw so many influences in a blender that it’s hard to really label them. It’s a very impressive set from a promising new band who should make a big impression when they release a debut.
Suuns, who arrived in Cardiff several hours late as a result of missing their ferry from Ireland, take to the stage and painstakingly tune up, eventually starting 25 minutes behind schedule. The audience seem patient enough, though, having enough time to get another drink and wonder how to pronounce the band’s name (Suns? Soons?) while the band finish tinkering with their gear. When they do begin, though, they waste no time, kicking off with a trio of Infinity, Armed For Peace and new single Translate, barely pausing for breath in between. 2020, perhaps their most well-known song, gets the biggest response, the crowd jumping around ecstatically to its wobbling bass.
Edie’s Dream shows a softer, subtler side to Suuns that shows they can show restrain when they want to, before later ending with an impossibly bassy rendition of Pie IX. Live, Suuns are a lot more forceful than on record, tracks that could rumble along in the background at home are brought to life by the sheer energy and volume of seeing them in a live setting. For a band who seem to pride themselves on minimalism, in a live setting even the smallest sounds can be overpowering.
They are a hard band to categorize, although I’m not sure if that excuses Clwb labelling them ‘psychedelic rock’ on their website. This doesn’t fool anyone, however, as I don’t spot any baffled Grateful Dead fans heading for the exits. It’s clear Suuns’ small but enthusiastic crowd know what they’re in for, and the audience seem more than happy as the band encore with Music Won’t Save You, rounding off an entertaining night of bass-heavy minimalist electro-indie – or ‘psychedelic rock’, if you will.
words MATT LEE