Really great gig. I’m so glad my last minute decision to head in paid off. Much of Pivot’s set was like that bit in one of the Star Wars movies where the sound designer got the most jarring and perfectly digital noise to represent a homing missile following an spaceship. The venue was swathed in clouds of synthetic noise and analogue signals pushing each other into contorted shapes.
The drummer is at the core of what they do. His robotic jazz-infused drumming was so freeform and expressive yet so precise. When he let loose, he hit the drums with such a frantic, fast pace it was like he was trying to break a speed drumming record.
As a trio with laptops, synths, guitars and drums, they let their songs break down long enough that they had no choice but to piece themselves back together suddenly and those were the real moments. It sped up, it slowed down. Wonderful.
‘O Soundtrack My Heart’, the LP’s title track was my favourite of the night and it had people appreciately rocking back and forth but I also really enjoyed the Afrobeat-esque cover as an encore. Anyone know it? I forgot to ask them afterwards. Immeasurably better than the 5 minutes at Electric Picnic I caught of them.
They are playing a FREE show in Galway tonight if you can, don’t miss it.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
The new album is so good, and I bet the live show was spectacular. Hopefully, they make a bigger record next time around and do an extensive US tour.
That was an amazing gig alright. The encore cover was a Talking Heads song ‘I Zimbra’ and an amazing version it was too. There’s a live version of it on the b-side of Pivots tour 7″.
I was disappointed to miss this show as I gambled on going to the Sly and Robbie gig in Tripod which was great. Easy Star All Stars supported and played the classics off their Dubside/Radiodread albums. Irie Times.
pandemic, sounds good. Many there?
the balcony was closed and there was a few hundred downstairs but everyone was up front and they got the crowd going well so was a fun night..they got some properly skankin dancing going as well
Aye great gig- love the rhythm changes during the tunes- keeps you on your toes!
Pivot were fairly deadly last night., the tunes were much better live than on the CD.
Yeah, it was a super gig! I was nodding like a mad eejit at the front and suddenly I became aware of this beardy weirdo encroaching from the left. He spent the rest of the gig throwing middle-aged man air guitar shapes about 6 inches from my nose and shouting tedious shite at the band. Hobos eh?
Richard’s a really nice bloke too. And I’ll be damned if his brother’s not one of the best drummers on the planet! Great to see a full set from them after the paltry half hour lunchtime set they were allocated at the Picnic. “O Soundtrack My Heart” is still my favourite song of 2008 (along with “Gila” and “The Rip” I guess).
Saw Michelle Doherty off Channel 6 at the gig, clearly a fan. She must live on salad though!
I’m glad I went to this. Very last minute decision too. Everything wet through a laptop it seems! Very interesting setup. Halfset was a great support too.