Brit School alumni black midi are currently on the road in support of their debut album, ‘Schlagenheim’. And tonight, a sold-out crowd descends upon the Riverside in Newcastle to witness their arrival on Tyneside.
Everything about a black midi show is atmospheric, whether it be the band’s eclectic soundscape, the moody lighting or the adrenaline-fuelled crowd. The group’s rhythms are infectious too which, in turn, catalyses dancing or moshing in the room throughout.
black midi’s material comes to life in the live environment. There is a freedom to their music, the likes of which you only really see in a band who is so musically in tune with one another. This, in turn, allows the group to jam to their heart’s content.
Over the next 70 minutes, black midi’s set-list ebbs and flows, with the band switching gears with ease. Tonight there is no room for small talk or nonsense – it’s all about the music, with the lack of stage banter further adding to the band’s mystique.
Roughly half of the set-list is drawn from ‘Schlagenheim’, whilst the rest comprises of the band’s freshest cuts. Highlights include the fast and furious ‘953’, a mind-blowing rendition of ‘Western’ along with the thunderous explosion of sound that is ‘Ducter’.
black midi gives a nod to local musical hero Sting by way of their unique take on The Police’s ‘Message In A Bottle’. But it is new song and set closer ‘Nylon’ which is unlike any other track in the set; this number, in particular, feels very much like the calm after the storm.
As the group exits the stage there is no fanfare, fuss or encore as the five musicians casually exit the stage as cool as you like.
In this day and age, people always look to put music into categories or boxes – it makes them feel comfortable. Similarly, it also helps the industry to market their artists to the best of their ability. However, at the same time, we are at a point where the music industry is oversaturated, with so many bands sounding the same or simply reinventing the wheel. Presently, it takes something different to stand out – and black midi are exactly that.
This talented London-based outfit transcend genre; the group blurs the lines between a multitude of musical influences and styles and the result is something unique and very special.
