– THE LOWRY THEATRE, SALFORD –
So there I am at The Lowry Theatre in an all seated auditorium wondering how good a gig can be in such plush settings. A grand, cinematic sound sweeps in and Kloot enter to an appreciative, albeit theatre crowd, welcome. There’s the three maestros themselves plus backing musicians: guitar, a two piece string section, keyboard and saxophone, and there’s anticipation in the air.
On stage, there’s a moody vibe (complete with smoke) and off we go with the first ditty: ‘Lately’. I’m relatively new to Kloot’s stuff and it’s a rare experience when you’re hit with a slow one it has you hooked from the start. It’s clear we’re in expert hands here: The vocals are note perfect, the control is deft, and the emotion is searing through well crafted lyrics.
The second offering is stripped to basics just two guitars and the drums. It’s great and I already know they are going to be one of my favourite bands. More low tempo stuff follows which is not my normal bag but I can feel my taste being subverted, nay, educated. Just when I think I’ve got these guys boxed off, the harpsichord kicks – mavericks.
Next up is a mid tempo shtick and it’s gently foot tappy and quite folksy. I’m not a huge fan of bands who’s on stage performance is so low-fi but with these lot it works because the tunes and the vocals are sublime. It’s all about their music and the message but without a hint of pretension. We also get a nice line in comedy from lead singer, John Bramwell. He tells us they’ve not been on stage for a long time as they’ve been busy writing and yet he’s never far away from a laugh. So it’s clear he could have an alternative career in the unlikely event that this hugely partisan crowd desert them.
Then I’m enjoying myself so much I get a bit lost on the running order. But ‘God and Monsters’ sticks out as particularly stunning, as does ‘The Moon Is a Blind Eye’: Both making the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Bramwell goes acapella and its hauntingly good and the entire theatre is mesmerised. This guy is the enigmatic heartbeat of the band – he looks and talks like he runs your local wine bar but sings like an angel.
The full ensemble complete what feels like the finale but isn’t. Then it’s back to our three heroes before they go off and return for two song encore. I have only one minor gripe from the whole experience – in a warm room, what is a 95 minute show seems like too long for newbie’s like me. Although I suspect I was in the minority and Kloot fans are going home very happy indeed.
