In a year in which the flame of local music was ignited brighter
than ever, competition for this year’s NI Music Prize was, understandably fierce. Of the twelve nominated acts, the difference in style and presentation
could not have been more eclectic, though one thing each nominee had in common
was quality. From the doom laden sludge rock of Slomatics, to Sullivan &
Gold’s soft acoustic numbers, it was a great mix. Walking into the exciting venue of the Mandela Hall, Encore NI realised that our own hesitance to predict a
winner was one shared by all; it really was that tight and a tribute to the
quality of albums on show. Before the Oh Yeah Centre’s Stuart Bailie could
announce the winner however, there were time for some performances from the
acts, as well as a headline slot for legends ‘Therapy?’. Taylor Johnson was on hand to give his thoughts…
Proving they are so much more than a band to fill the New
Ancestors shaped hole left in Belfast, Sullivan & Gold opened the evening
in a confident and assured manner. Minimalist arrangements allow their songs to
flourish on the big stage, an appreciative audience falling quiet enough to allow
tracks like ‘Jigsaws’ to be embraced
the way the band intended. Crisp, Fleetfoxes inspired harmonies remain key
components to the ex ‘Good Fight’ two piece’s sound, though when required they
have no problems in kicking things up a gear. They've clearly not forgotten
how to work an audience.
Sadly, the solemn sound of Robyn G Shiels was rather
drowned out by the time he took to the stage. Perhaps suffering for his lack of
backing band (instead braving the stage
with only an acoustic guitar in hand), Shiels has to be admired for his
commitment to his art. Never once phased, he continued to press on with a
collection of soft, pain ridden anthems - often tinged with regret, but
delivered with purpose. The banjo led backing provided a Springsteen-esque
touch to his maudlin tales, unfortunately the running order derailed a
potentially pivotal performance in the evening. Shiels, however, simply proved
his professionalism (at one point mockingly declaring he was ready to ‘get this party started’). Knowing all
that mattered where those who did listen, for them he produced a subtly
beautiful performance.
What this night badly needed was a band to shake it's
foundations, a specialty of final performing nominee's More Than Conquerors. Completely
at home on the Mandela's huge stage, Belfast’s hardest rocking sons have
been slightly more absent from the gigging scene here than many would like; a
fact underlined by the vibrancy of this storming set. Opener ‘Pits Of Old’ now sounds like a bona fide
classic, effortless and exhilarating in equal measure. Ending on the brand new ‘Red’ was a brave move, but one that ultimately
paid off, the band displaying a more anthemic side to their hard rock. With
front man Kris Platt on top form throughout, this was the perfect way for More
Than Conqueror’s to remind you why they’re amongst our top talents.
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| More Than Conqueror's produced a blistering performance... |
Finally it was time for the triumphant return of Therapy, though not before the nights winner was announced. For
his last album ‘Blood Of The Innocents’,
the honour went to Robyn G Shiels, a gracious and worthy winner. Those who
perhaps didn't give the man their full attention during his earlier set were
surely wishing they had of now!
Hyped to perfection by Across The Line's Rigsy, the legends powerful rock was always guaranteed a strong reaction, (in many ways the quality of their
performance was almost secondary to their actual presence) but in a truly
special homage to their 1994 release "Troublegum",
the Ballyclare natives played their hearts out. Sounding tighter and more
invigorated than in years gone by, tributes to punk hero’s The Ramones acted as
a reminder, if one was needed, that the band in front of us deserve equal high
praise. Angular riffs and sing along chorus' propel ‘Therapy?'s sound, but more importantly the punk spirit which forced
them into the nations consciousness has clearly not deserted them. Introing tracks
with reworkings of John Lennons 'Nowhere Boy' show the band are clearly not
short of inspiration either, peppering their set full of unexpected trick
shots. Cameos from Snow Patrols Nathan Connelly & a passionate performance
from Tony Wright of Verse Chorus Verse were only overshadowed by a brief (and awesome) cover of Joy
Divisions "Control".
It was a truly special night for Belfast and the climax to
another great year of music. Encore NI would like to congratulate the Oh Yeah
Centre and Volume Control teams for their work over the year and all those who contributed to such a great evening. We can’t wait for next year.
Taylor Johnson
