Photo: facebook.com/wearetallships
A sold out venue in East London greets Tall Ships as 600+ fans cram into the refurbished XOYO for a celebratory night.
Since their self-titled EP dropped in 2010, indie rock outfit Tall Ships have been working their way up to the release of their debut album. After second EP ‘There is Nothing but Chemistry Here’ and a few singles there was still a wait until two weeks ago when 'Everything Touching' was released.
The sold out London show feels like a celebration of the album release. With a rousing rendition of opening track 'T=0' kicking things off, it is just the start of a high energy set.
Lead singer Ric Phethean addresses the audience early on with a shocked smile on his face; "Wow, there is a lot of you here. Thanks for coming" . The heartfelt thanks is drowned out though when old favourite 'Plate Tectonics' is given an airing. Not included on the album it is a thoroughly pleasant surprise to hear it, as the geology inspired number literally hits you like a tonne of bricks.
Album highlight 'Gallop' sounds even better live. It is a proper indie anthem in a different form to other Tall Ships tracks, with Jamie Bush's up-tempo drum beat that gives the track some real gusto. 'Oscar' has so much more impact live as the trio throw absolutely everything into it, culminating in Phethan and bassist Matt Parker finishing the song in a crumbled heap on stage.
Mixing the set up with tracks old and new, Tall Ships had the crowd eating out of their hands. Mass sing-alongs see the whole crowd bellowing the brilliant "You are a triumph of natural selection, every mutation leading to your perfection" lyrics during the revamped rendition of 'Ode to Ancestors'. Frontman Phethan looking genuinely humbled that so many people are singing his lyrics back at him was a lovely moment.
The main element of Tall Ships sound is still those layered, dramatic and dance-infused numbers that the crowd can just not get enough of. 'Chemistry' and 'Vessels' getting the biggest reactions of the night with a 'Vessels' sing-along uniting band and crowd into one ecstatic choir.
When bassist Parker explains that they would be playing their last song, what he is effectively saying is here’s 'Murmurations', a nine-minute song that encapsulates everything Tall Ships do. Looped guitars, a thumping bass line and a control of pace that builds the track up brilliantly before an almighty crescendo.
Leaving the stage to an incredible response, the experience has clearly been humbling and special for the band. They reward the excellent audience with a one song encore where the crowd seem to release any unused energy during 'Hit the Floor'. Everyone is smiling and no one leaves unhappy or unsatisfied, that was one hell of a show.
