Photo: Still
Hidden away in the historic Maida Vale Studios, BBC 6 Music Live has returned, with intimate live recordings being performed in front of a lucky handpicked audience of music lovers. Unlike last year – which saw artists spread across a week - sessions instead run across the station’s daytime output, with shows starting early morning till night. We spent the day with 6 Music as they broadcast special performances from some of the hottest acts around.
Placebo
Looking down on the tiny MV4 studio from the mezzanine balcony, we witness Placebo begin their retrospective greatest hits tour, celebrating the band’s twenty year anniversary. The recognisable chugging guitar line sample of ‘Pure Morning’ rings out as an alternative 9 am alarm. It’s the first time the song has been played since 2007 – almost a surprise, if we weren’t close enough to read the setlist infront of us.
Despite special shows reflecting a career-spanning back catalogue, Brian Molko tells Shaun Keaveny he isn’t particularly one for looking-back, and is reluctant to return to some of the band’s older material. Bringing it back to the present day, new track ‘Jesus Son’ is given its live premiere at Maida Vale, before newer tracks ‘Loud Like Love’ and ‘Too Many Friends’ are performed.
Molko dedicates 2000’s ‘Slave To The Wage’ to listeners who are unhappy in their jobs, before addressing Brexit and the governments disinterest with unity and tolerance, as Stefan Olsdal reveals a rainbow designed bass for the huge 1996 anthem ‘Nancy Boy’.
We expect more surprising track outings when their PLACEBO20 tour hits UK arenas in December.
Michael Kiwanuka
Over in the larger studio, Lauren Laverne introduces the Mercury Prize-nominated Michael Kiwanuka, who reveals his own Zoolander moment, when he almost thought he had the prize in the bag at last month’s awards ceremony.
A desire to showcase tracks in a form closest to the album manifests itself on stage, with a string quartet being part of the live set-up for this special performance. The slow, full instrumental introduction of ten-minute long ‘Cold Little Heart’ sets the tone for the soulful and emotional show, before the tempo is lifted with blues-laced ‘Black Man In A White World’.
“I was gonna say something here but, there’s nothing to say,” Kiwanuka says softly, as between-track chat is kept to a minimum, allowing expansive multi-layered instrumentals and soothing vocals to be the focal communication with the crowd.
The Pretenders
Joining Mark Radcliffe in MV4, Chrissie Hynde talks us through The Pretenders new record, Alone. Describing how it began life as a solo project, Hynde admits it was down to branding when she decided it would become a Pretenders release.
On the subject of hiring The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach for production duties, Hynde hails him “the best producer around” and that she wanted to work with the guitarist as she simply ‘digs his vibe’.
With her distinctive vocals unscathed by decades past, Hynde leads the band through a set of predominantly new material. ‘I Hate Myself’ reveals Hynde’s lurking senses of regret, while the up-tempo ‘Holy Commotion’ features a bright guitar hooks and pedal steel textures. A seemingly rehearsed encore, which sees Mark Radcliffe return to complain the set is too short, is followed by 1980 classic ‘Brass In Pocket’.
Wild Beasts
“Don’t confuse me with someone who gives a fuck” Hayden Thorpe sings over the climatic outro of ‘Wanderlust’, realising his lack of self-censorship after successfully making it through a “PG/ pre-watershed version” of ‘Tough Guy’. Thorpe’s bone-dry flamboyant falsetto feel closer than ever in the confides of studio four – soaring above bold bass synths and dark beats.
Seeing the night out in style, Wild Beasts welcome their very own ‘Alpha Female’ special guest and label-mate Anna Calvi to lend backing vocals to the sleazy pop groove of said track, before bringing the set to a close with ‘All The Kings Men’.
Watch all the BBC 6 Music Live performances from Monday 3 October here
