Earth at The Haunt, Brighton, 12th March 2012
Words: Antony Roberts
Photos: Antony Roberts (metalgigs) & Gemma Shaw (www.gloomylightsphotography.co.uk)
After seeing Kylesa play a blinding set at The Haunt and experiencing its seriously awesome sound system for the first time, there was no questions asked at all, we had to go and see Earth play there. It’s small and intimate, but unlike so many small venues they’ve actually spent some money on the P.A. system, and it sounds amazing.
Walking on to quiet and polite applause, Earth took to the stage, and Dylan thanked us for joining him on his birthday, as the venue hushed Earth proceeded to work their beautiful soundscape.
The Haunt’s monstrous stack of speakers threw out the bass no problem with amazing separation between every instrument, but due to the very nature of the quiet interludes I became very aware my camera shutter was overly loud. With the lighting person using red like it was going out of fashion I decided to pack up and just watch and enjoy the sombre tones.
Playing tracks from superb new album Angels Of Darkness and Light II, released just last month, songs like “His Teeth Did Brightly Shine” and “Corascene Dog” are just sheer brilliance. Live they trip you out like a meandering daydream, at times reminding me of the awesome sections from “The End”, by The Doors, a cello infused rip in the desert floor.
After introducing the band Dylan announces they are now to play “the fastest and shortest song you’ll ever hear us play, it’s from 1995 I think, and it is a pop song”. Dylan may joke but “Harvey” from 1995’s Phase 3: Thrones and Dominions album is probably as close as Earth will get to anything slightly pop, and it’s still a remote connection. “That was a nod to my midlife crisis”, Dylan jokes afterwards before tuning up for “The Rake Hell”
A request from the audience for “Bees” is met with good natured laughter, “not on this tour” but any disappointment is short lived with excited whoops from the audience as “Tallahassee” kicks in.
Many times during the set I became lost and hypnotised watching the drummer. Although she played with brushes to slow beats, she moves her entire body with every hit, so watching her gives the impression of someone playing drums fast in slo-mo, like on heavily slowed down film, or as if she’s underwater. I became mesmerised for some time, the slow fluid movements captivating me with the dreamy tunes adding to the surreal movements.
Earth finish with Dylan introducing the band once again, and thanked the audience before leaving us with a monstrous cover of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive”. This was like no version you’ve heard before, brooding, epic, and slowed down to snails pace. I saw an excited Ollie from “IronGiant Promotions” singing along. It appears this is one brilliant cover that comes Sea Bastard approved.
The band finished their set and the night was over, leaving us to wander back out into the cold sea air of Brighton, and our journey home. If you haven’t caught Earth live yet, book tickets the very next time they tour, I assure you, they are a joy to behold live.
SETLIST:
Blackwaterside
Star Dappled Green
Multiplicity of Doors
His Teeth Did Brightly Shine
Corascene Dog
Harvey
The Rakehell
Tallahassee
Badger
Wanted Dead or Alive
web: http://www.thronesanddominions.com/
Dylan Carson is playing an intimate solo show at The Black Heart Camden on 14th May, VERY limited tickets (70) are available here.
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