Snapped Ankles
-NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER-
The stage is rather full tonight for a support act consisting of only one man. An array of crazy devices and fascinating instruments litter the stage. Wires are entwined through a complex range of synth modules, hi-hats have what appear to be goblets stuck to their upper halves and an orange glow is emitted from the snare. Paddy Steer’s set up is all homemade, DIY instruments appear to be held together by hopes, dreams and magic, wobbling nervously as he enters this disaster zone in a sci-fi looking Jafar costume.
He is straight into action, twisting knobs and spouting notes through a vocoder, worked into his hat. A rich amount of sounds is produced and the music is often hypnotic, though Paddy’s erratic playing style proves hilarious as drumsticks are dropped, and the hi-hat is re arranged at every other beat. It is organised chaos, he is an entertainer, a Tommy Cooper of the music world, as the music continues throughout the seemingly haphazard arrangements. Hilarious to watch and interesting to listen to. Paddy creates a memorable performance on all levels, a fantastically enjoyable experience.
Snapped Ankles’ set up is no less elaborate. A glowing, green, alchemic looking table centres the stage through the hazy aura that Night and Day emits through a smoke machine. A tribe of forest devils appear through the mist. Snapped Ankles, adorned in outfits based on ancient hill tribes, begin by hitting Pagan wooden staffs. The staffs are wired to synths, infusing nature and electronica in a psychedelic start to the show. It’s like a crazy dream.
Band member Chestnut leans over the alchemy table, pulsating with the hypnotic sounds. Full names of the band members are hard to come across, being listed only as their surnames, liberating themselves with mystique. But they are more than their forest devil gimmick, their vibrant music has more groove than you could shake a wired up pagan stick at. Simple, catchy bass lines at the root of songs such as ‘True Ecology’ set the crowd in motion. The layered electronica adds a depth that makes the whole set consistently intriguing.
Their musical style has many branches, from the tribal ‘Come Play With The Trees’, slower ‘NSA Man’ to the highly danceable ‘I Want My Minutes Back.’ But it all fits together into an odd but cohesive and mesmerising show. Sasquatch dancers even join us for the dancier numbers, just to keep that odd layer in the mix.
The apex of the show is the rhythmic post punk epic, ‘Johnny Guitar Calling Costa Berlin’, gathering more dancers to the front of stage. Even guitarist Austin makes his way through the awe-struck crowd to join the action. Bravely trailing his guitar cable behind him, before finishing, shrouded in the mystique they entered with, thrashing psychedelic sounds on the edge of the stage. It finishes the show in an awesome fashion, even with one crowd member meekly trying to retrieve his coat from under Austin’s feet.
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