“Birmingham was a bit boring last night, we’re glad you guys are more fun as it’s our last night in this country,” said frontman Dustin Payseur as Beach Fossils ended the UK leg of their tour in chaotic fashion. Their lo-fi, atmospheric sound was still sounding as fresh as ever as the young, eager crowd showed their appreciation to a New York band which can now fall back on a diverse back catalogue.

Whilst the self-titled debut established a sound that was both minimal and enveloping, Clash the Truth channelled years of experimentation. Meanwhile, recent record Somersault showcases a band in bloom that charts new musical territory with a refined song writing style. Each of these records was represented in the set list to create a spectacle of complex instrumentation, including piano, harpsichord, flute, and sax, under the backdrop of deeply personal lyricisms.

Somersault is also a true collaboration between the founding members Jack Doyle Smith and Tommy Davidson, with the band now a formidable, tight group on stage as they flowed through compositions that range from shimmering and immersive soundscapes, to pulsating rock tracks.

In a recent interview with Brightonsfinest, Payseur explained that the band was not conscious of how the tracks will sound live when in the studio, “We never really think about that while working on something for the album. It's always a surprise to see what happens when we start playing it live. The songs take on a whole new identity and personality.” This was evident as they went through their atmospheric set.

First however came support from Cambridge-based band Nervous Conditions with their unchanging, hypnotic basslines and snarling, cynical lyrics. The teenagers produce music that sounds far more mature than the band playing it, with a variety of improvised sections, sporadic saxophone cuts and off-kilter guitar riffs. It was loud and danceable and had elements of post-punk and two-tone all mixed into the marvellous concoction.

Beach Fossils then took to the stage, with old favourite ‘Sometimes’ igniting the crowd from the offset, whilst ‘This Year’ got it swaying in subconscious appreciation. ‘Saint Ivy’, meanwhile, ditched the string section heard in the recorded version, with the band instead choosing to use a piano and trumpet live.

‘Closer Everywhere’ then intensified into a frenzied freak-out compared to its recorded counterpart, whilst the propulsive bass on ‘Be Nothing’ turns it into a different beast entirely. Lighters and iPhone lights then appeared for the delicate ‘Sleep Apnea’, before the raucous, yet melodic ‘Careless’ got the room jumping again.

The band were clearly enjoying the vibe in the room as they then asked the Nervous Conditions frontman to join them onstage for a cover of Oasis favourite ‘Wonderwall’ before ‘Daydream’ brought proceedings to an end with Payseur inviting the crowd on stage for a mass sing-along to cap the night off in dramatic fashion.

Paul Hill

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