Public Service Broadcasting
Where do I start?
PSB are one of those bands that leave you in a post gig melancholy haze, caused not just by their very poignant new material, but also by the sad reality that the gig actually had to finish.
PSB's new album Every Valley is a beautiful tribute to the Welsh coal miners and mining industry of the 1970's and 80's. As the gig started, ten beautiful mining lamps were lowered from the ceiling whilst the eerie intro to Every Valley reverberated around an almost sold out LCR. It felt like the audience was being lowered into a mine, as the two huge mining elevator cogs on each side of the stage started to turn.
The set list, whilst heavily reliant on the new album also featured fan favourites such as GO, Theme From PSB, London Can Take it and Spitfire. The highlight however was a newer track called They Gave Me A Lamp which I have to say, left me and a few others a little teary eyed. A song that moves you to tears which has absolutely no lyrics usually means it's a special song. The performance featured snippets of archive footage and interviews at a women's club during the miner's strikes. Encapsulating the spirit and optermism of the women who wanted to make a difference in their community and save their husbands' jobs and livelihoods.
In terms of overall performance, every song was performed perfectly and with such passion noted by the beaming smiles of each band member, which is ironic considering founding member J.Willgoose has recently been doing lectures at music colleges titled 'Live Music Should Go Wrong'.
With a fantastic new album reaching number 4 in the charts, musicality in bucketloads and contagious charm and charisma, Public Service Broadcasting are effortlessly and definitely one of the most pioneering independent bands in the world to date. Their originality and live performances make them so very special. Do your ears a favour and go see them as soon as possible.
10/10
