RIDE + PÊTR ALEKSÄNDER – BARBICAN CENTRE, LONDON 09.12.19
Ride were the leading lights of the ‘shoegaze’ movement of the early 1990’s. However, they didn’t fare so well during the Britpop era, being eclipsed by their labelmates Oasis, and they split in 1996. Since re-forming in 2014, they have released two albums, ‘Weather Diaries’ in 2017, and ‘This Is Not A Safe Place’ this year. How have they translated into the 21st Century?
We shall shortly discover the answer to that question. However, before then we have the support act Pêtr Aleksänder to address. This act are notionally made up of Tom Hobden from Noah And The Whale, and producer Elliot James of Two Door Cinema Club (Elliot also produced Noah And The Whale). In practice it appears that Elliot looks after the keyboards, electronics and beats whilst Tom heads up a string quartet.
The music is very much in Nils Frahm territory, but with more emphasis on the electronica side of things. The standard of musicianship is very high, and what we’re actually being presented with here is more 21st Century classical music rather than pop per se. It’s certainly music to lose yourself in.
You can stream/purchase their ‘Bells’ single HERE.
In that respect there is a distinct similarity with the music of Ride, as at their best you could very easily lose yourself in their music too. However, that was then and this is now. The first two songs, ‘Jump Jet’ and ‘Future Love’ are from this year’s ‘This is Not A Safe Place’. They are well received, but it is not until the third song ‘Leave Them All Behind’ from 1992’s classic album ‘Going Blank Again’, that everybody stands up en masse (well, they do downstairs anyway). It’s a sublime moment. It also reveals the dilemma facing any band with a substantial back catalogue: where do they place the emphasis when putting together their set? Too many oldies and you’re in danger of becoming a ‘heritage’ band. Not enough oldies and you’re not giving your fans what they want.
Ride choose to go light on the oldies. Ten songs from the seventeen song strong main set are from the last two albums. This is by no means a bad move, as they are a pair of very strong albums. They sound current (there are motorik overtones in some of the songs) without losing the sound that Ride are all about. Both Andy Bell and Mark Gardener still use a dizzying array of pedals. When they solo together their guitar lines are like the intertwining vapour trails of aircraft performing aerobatics. Their harmonies sound as good as they did two-and-a-half decades ago as well.
The good news from tonight is that Ride, despite their illustrious back catalogue, are still very much a current band. Their recent albums continue to push the envelope and they haven’t fallen into the nostalgia trap. Long may that continue.
Ride certainly enjoyed themselves, as they have posted this message on social media “Thanks London for such a magical evening. Also Mark’s first time ever at The Barbican 🙏💚”
The Ride setlist reads:
(Intro tape ‘R.I.D.E.’)
‘Jump Jet’
‘Future Love’
‘Leave Them All Behind’
‘Charm Assault’
‘Chrome Waves’
‘Fifteen Minutes’
‘Shadows Behind The Sun’
‘Repetition’
‘Lannoy Point’
‘End Game’
‘All I Want’
‘OX4’
‘Taste’
‘Kill Switch’
‘Drive Blind’
‘In A Different Place’
‘Vapour Trail’
(encore)
‘In This Room’
‘Seagull’
Find out more at www.thebandride.com
Visit and ‘LIKE’ our ‘What’s On – from Brighton and Hove News’ Facebook page HERE.
