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The Mono LPs ‘Emelia’ Single Launch Night At The Magnet

Although we arrived reasonably early, The Magnet already had a buzz about it. The Mono LPs launch night for their current single ‘Emelia’ was billed as a ‘Masquerade Ball’ and it was good to see that quite a few people had entered into the spirit of the night and had dressed to impress. Even some of the men were masked-up, giving the night an aura of difference even before the acts began. The Magnet is the perfect venue for this sort of event, with red vinyl padded walls and retro styling, it has the intimate appeal of a pre-war Berlin night club, and a friendly, laid back atmosphere.

We had been promised circus performers and burlesque in addition to the three bands on offer. The first, Juggling Jack Flash, gave a great performance, a perfect way to start the evening’s entertainment.

Next to take the stage was the excellent singer/songwriter Paul Straws. The vocals were sublime, and the use of loop pedals produced a much fuller sound than you would expect from a solo performer. If you hadn’t been able to view the stage, you might well have thought you were listening to a band rather than one man, as Paul laid down his own backing guitars and vocals, then played over them. The effect was mesmerising and beautiful. Songs like ‘Need You There’ and ‘You Wouldn’t See It That Way’ were hauntingly evocative, with a melancholy tinge. An immaculate performance.

Paul Straws
Paul Straws

The first burlesque act of the night, Mary Jane Black, thrilled the audience with some exciting fan dancing and clever use of the area in front of the stage, bringing cheers and whistles from the crowd.

By this time, the whole event was barrelling along, the venue filling up, and the buzz from the audience increasing. The friendly, carnival atmosphere continued to build as Chanel Samson and her band took the stage. Chanel hails from Los Angeles, but has made her home here in Liverpool. Her sound is quirky, with punk elements, and there is a lot of showmanship in her act. I liked the energy of songs like ‘F U Matthew’, with its great, sweary lyrics, ‘Dream Boat’ and ‘Cock Block’. The vocals moved from abrasive to saccharine sweet throughout the songs, giving contrast and variety. Ably backed by a band including trumpets and saxophone, the sound was already rich, so when Chanel donned an accordion for the last song, ’I’m Still a Star’, you began to wonder how many more instruments the band could produce during a longer set. Another strong act.

Chanel Samson
Chanel Samson

Lola Rogue has an interesting spin on burlesque, adding walking on broken glass to her act, whilst still managing to be scintillating at the same time! Again the crowd were totally on board for the performance.

By the time The Mono LPs began there set, the Magnet was pretty full. Here is the solid, upbeat rock we have come to know and love from the band. They never put a foot wrong. Mixing old and new tracks, I couldn’t work out which were most popular with the crowd, it was all so well received. ‘Cherry Red Lips’ was a real favourite of mine, but, to be truthful, I really enjoyed it all. Even the newest of songs were so well performed, you would have thought they were old favourites.

The Mono LPs must spend a lot of time practicing to achieve this degree of polish. ‘Look at Those Legs’, Die a Little Death’ and ‘6am’, show the virtuosity of the band’s output, making their live performances something special. The only problem was the technical difficulties experienced during the set, although they rarely affected the music. It would have been nice to have seen Vicky Mutch’s  excellent cello contribution given a bit more prominence, but aside from that, everything sounded great.

By the time the new single ‘Emelia’ started the whole place was electrified. The Mono LPs couldn’t have had a better launch night for the single, in my opinion. The single, available on ITunes from the 4th of May, is another rock anthem, showing The Mono LPs continue to go from strength to strength. Another track and the set was over, but the crowd were unwilling to let the band rest so easily, bringing them back on stage for an encore, which the band more than deserved. More rock brilliance ensued and crowd were finally happy.

The Mono LPs play indie rock of the highest quality with verve and panache. This was a set which showed what this band can really do live. The whole night was a triumph; an event that I was really glad I managed to get to. Long live The Mono LPs, purveyors of fine rock and keepers of the flame.

Roxy Gillespie

Editor

Founder and Editor, Clare Deane, shares her passion for all the amazing things happening in Liverpool. With a love of the local Liverpool music scene, dining out a couple of times a week and immersing herself in to all things arts and culture she's in a pretty good place to create some Liverpool Noise.

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