CALIFORNIAN indie-pop sensations Saint Motel brought their tour to the Deaf Institute in Manchester tonight, here’s how it went down.
Saint Motel first began their journey in 2009, when they released Forplay, an album which was described by a Wall Street Journal writer as “garage-glam.” their flawless ability to intertwine melodrama and melancholy won the band plaudits from their debut album, but fans of the group would have to wait another 5 years for a followup, when they released My Type in 2014.
A sold-out venue is always the perfect way to start the evening. Not just for the performers but also for the crowd, as an exuberant, vibrant atmosphere was in store for the eclectic sound of Saint Motel.
The night opened with Floral Scenes, a quartet of young lads whose fresh faced enthusiasm for the music they’re playing earns them instant respect with the viewers in attendance who aren’t familiar with their sound.
Performing in front of their home crowd, Floral Scenes looked unfazed by the packed Deaf Institute and went straight into their opening track Take A Look Around. In what was a fast paced and energetic start, the guitar solos even outshone the vocal power of this record – with a quite Arctic Monkeys-esque riff which reverberated around Deaf Institute.
In what was a short, half-hour long set – Floral Scenes showed promise of what is to come for the young artists. A set which was in parts generic and lacking individuality, it could have been better.
But the positives definitely outweighed – with a talented vocalist and brilliant acoustic and electric guitarists, the potential for the Manchester natives is very exciting indeed.
After an overly long intermission, Saint Motel made their way to the stage to a rapturous response, with the saxophonist and trumpeter leading the way to the stage.
The gig was amazing thank you @fsceneuk and @SaintMotel it was awesome ???? pic.twitter.com/cbxfCrhV6G
— Chris Benfold (@BenfoldChris) February 9, 2017
Cold, Cold Man opened the night for Saint Motel, a hit from their 2014 album My Type.
The official video for this song showcased Saint Motel as “International Men of Mystery” and there was definitely a twinge of mystery about their opening performance, as the reverberating synths and usage of keyboard chords made this a fitting opening to a what was appearing to be a dramatic set.
It wasn’t tough to see why Saint Motel have gathered a loyal following since their 2009 inception – they come not just to play their music, but to put on a show like true entertainers. Regular interactions with the audience also makes the US-band likeable to new fans seeing them for the first time.
Hits such as Getaway and Elise received equally fiery responses, as naturally Saint Motel tend to prefer to get their audience on their level – through climbing into the audience and rallying them up.
Saint Motel appreciation tweet
— Billy (@SpinelessOyster) February 9, 2017
This was then followed by their first big hit – Puzzle Pieces. Puzzle Pieces, a hit released back on Forplay in 2009 gained what many in attendance could easily agree was track of the evening. The interweaving vocals and climbing melodrama made this hit perfect for the venue it was being held in, and was fitting for long term supporters of the band to reminisce on an old classic.
Saint Motel had been high octane from the get-go, and it was hard to see where they were still finding the energy to launch themselves into another song – but Move, a track from last years’ Saintmotelivison brought the band and crowd back together in unison to fire through a powerful hit.
Quite possibly their best known hit to date is My Type, a track which they released on 2014 album My Type. Built up through a saxophone acapella, this hit may have got the biggest party going of the night. With a loud and boisterous tone, Saint Motel left the paying audience happy, after an unforgettably brilliant set.
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