Belles Will Ring

Some say The Ed Castle is the place to be. Others say it’s full of poseurs, who just want to be seen at the place to be. But either way, the venue seems to often mistake itself for a B&B rather than a bar.

As a result, on the night of Belles Will Ring’s launch of sophomore album, Crystal Theatre, the headliners elected to play second while second-billed locals, Lady Strangelove, knew better than to risk having to wait until the wee hours. Instead, they chose to play first, leaving first support act, Sincerely Grizzly, with the graveyard slot. Such is life when your band room is your dining room.

Thus, Lady Strangelove took the stage around 10.30pm. Front man, Brendan Shaw, gave a mini-speech about the fact that the band has spent the last month split over two different states, before they opened with ‘Staircase’. In truth, no explanation was needed, as the four-piece didn’t display any deviation from the first-rate performances they’ve been treating audiences to since their single launch in May. Highlights included aforementioned single, ‘Sweet Exchange’, which came about halfway through their short set, as well as guitarist, Josh Van Looy’s hair.

The flow-on tardiness had the stars of the night emerge rather late, and their gentle start couldn’t quite compete with the DJs nearby, meaning that the crowd was a little slow seeping into the room. But eventually, there was a solid audience settled to enjoy the much-underrated Belles Will Ring.

As they changed between instruments, with Lauren Crew floating between keyboard, maracas and flute, and Aidan Roberts occasionally picked up a trumpet. It was a true show of both talent and musicianship, and injected sounds other than those of the 60s influenced pop/rock that dominated their set, such as a tinge of The Go! Team, and The Dandy Warhols’ ‘Godless’.

They predominantly played tracks from Crystal Theatre, happily and proudly displaying their influences, with harmonies channelling The Beatles, and a Neil Young-esque guitar twang featuring throughout. The only disappointment for those who walked away with the LP is that the band’s recordings seem like a mere mimic of their strengths when playing live. They bring liveliness, lead by example through their own clear enjoyment, and show that their wonderful music is not a feat of production, but veritable proof of the influences and talent this band exudes.

Belles Will Ring finish their set with single, ‘Come to the Village’; it’s more ambient and less-melody driven than many of their other songs, but is nonetheless a fitting end to a beautiful set.