Review by Billy Geary
Walking through The Palace’s somewhat decrepit door way from the hustle and bustle of Bourke Street into the sizable band room on Friday night carried with it a considerable amount of anticipation and also trepidation. Anticipation was high given the show marked My Bloody Valentine’s long awaited return to Australian shores. Subsequently, there was a degree of trepidation in the lead up, rooted in the question of whether My Bloody Valentine would truly be able to live up to their reputation as a live band that has inflated in their absence.
After being thrust a handful of earplugs upon entering the venue, due to My Bloody Valentine’s famed loudness in the live arena and the band meandered their way on stage a little after 10, all trepidation quickly disappeared. Opening with ‘I Only Said,’ the band quickly showed the sold out Palace that age had not wearied them in any way, shape or form. The band’s wall of sound quickly filled the expansive Palace Theatre, producing a sound that is seemingly impossible to be created by just four musicians. What ensued for the following 90 minutes was a complete assault on the senses, with My Bloody Valentine not only showing their prowess as songwriters but also as entertainers.
Despite much movement from the four members onstage, My Bloody Valentine’s set was utterly engaging on a visual level through the use of some very colourful and dynamic projections on the back wall of The Palace. Tracks like ‘Only Shallow’ and ‘Soon’ were infinitely enhanced by the visuals provided, whilst the band members hunched over their respective instruments with complete concentration.
Disappointingly, Kevin Shields’ vocals were so low in the mix that they became much more than an afterthought, leaving the focus solely on his layered guitar work. Despite this, the tracks translate incredibly well in a live setting – the sheer volume of the music and subsequent intensity bringing the tracks to life in such a way that no record player ever could. ‘Feed Me With Your Kiss’ is utterly powerful, whilst the dreamy ‘Honey Power’ made for an early respite from the sheer aural weight of the preceding tracks. It was in these quieter moments where Bilinda Butcher’s vocals cut through, reminding the audience of how angelic My Bloody Valentine can be at times.
With the announcement of their last song, ‘You Made Me Realise,’ the set reached its inevitable climax courtesy of the customary noise jam mid track. It was at this point the band walked the line between awe inspiring and slightly boring as the drone section dragged on and on before returning to complete the track.
What Friday night exhibited is that, despite many years out of the music game as a group, the band are still very much relevant and more than capable of delivering a powerful live set. Their recently released album typifies this, despite it’s poor representation in the setlist for the night. My Bloody Valentine’s long awaited return was well worth the wait, leaving the Melbourne audience in complete awe and pummelling their senses into oblivion – and that’s exactly what was expected.