Aviva Studios, Manchester
Earplugs safely distributed, the band proceed to rattle ribcages with a two-hour show that showcases their unique ability to mesh the dreamlike with the apocalyptic
When every entrant is handed earplugs it begs the question: why not just turn things down? Lessening their legendary volume, though, would reduce the impact of the My Bloody Valentine live show as a multi-sensorial, physical and musical experience. You wouldn’t experience every bass drum like a heartbeat, undergo the peculiar, otherworldly sensation of a ribcage rattling with sound or – during the encore – a noise so ferocious that it feels as if a gale force wind is flapping at your clothes.
My Bloody Valentine are, of course, credited with inventing shoegaze, the ethereal, dreamlike, effects-laden genre that has been rediscovered by the TikTok generation. However, at times here they seem to have more in common with noise warriors such as Einstürzende Neubaten than the drippier home counties combos that followed them.
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