Savages

The Mercury Music Prize has been accused of being a little too safe in its artist shortlists. It was easy to assume the same of this year’s nominees, London post-punks Savages, whose overtly slick stage presence and über-hip sound had that very familiar alternative eighties feeling of so many new acts at the moment. A sold-out Concorde2, though, was treated to an hour or so of rousing rock, satisfyingly both less commercial than expected though with the clinical precision to conquer the indie world. With nicely chunky guitar and affecting vocals from charismatic frontwoman Jehnny Beth, this was a concise exercise in nostalgia gone right.

Concorde2, 5 November 2013

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