CHEATAHS / CHAIN OF FLOWERS / LUVV | LIVE REVIEW

Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Fri 15 May

First up tonight are locals Luvv. Despite a case of the tech-gremlins early on, which rather unfairly halts their momentum, they blast through a rousing set of 80s-inspired post-punk, notable for some searing lead guitar work. The vocals tend towards the monotone, but for a newish band, they’re tremendous and a fitting start to the evening.

Chain Of Flowers share members with Luvv (drummer Rich Clarke, formerly of Crossbreaker, and Sam Hunt, occasionally of Harbour, Bedford Falls and others), so perhaps it’s unsurprising that they also share a similar aesthetic and seem to draw inspiration from the same pool of bands – the Factory and early Creation Records rosters are clear influences. From singer Joshua Smith‘s impeccably well-rehearsed Ian Curtis impression to the warm overlay of synths, it’s clear that Manchester in the late 70s and early 80s is Chain Of Flowers’ spiritual home. Having said that, there’s a real muscle to their sound too, with the influence of bands like of Rites Of Spring clearly apparent. Their compelling, snarlingly delivered set is well received by the audience.

Cheatahs are another great example of the ability to wear your influences on your sleeve but still produce excellent, original material; they certainly owe a debt to My Bloody Valentine, for example, but it never feels as though they’re rehashing old ideas. Occasionally ethereal and spaced-out sounding on record, Cheatahs are a different prospect live. For one thing, drummer Mark Raue totally slays, absolutely battering the cack out of his kit and powering a wall of sound that would knock you off your feet if you weren’t prepared for it. There’s a beauty to their sound though, which is complemented, rather than suppressed by the ear-shredding volume they achieve, and the strength of their songwriting shines through the noise.

Closing number {The Swan}, all jangly guitars and breathy vocals, is a genuinely excellent song, as good as anything to have come from the shoegaze scene within which Cheatahs are so often lumped. Enhanced by the band’s obvious excitement to play and easy rapport with the audience, this was a disorientatingly loud, never less than uplifting experience.

words HUGH RUSSELL