Live Review

Alcest, Hexvessel & The Fauns - Islington Assembly Rooms (1/2/14)
The Islington Assembly Rooms is a stunning Grade II listed, art deco building and the venue certainly adds to the feeling that the night's show could be a real event, given that it is the only show Alcest are playing in the UK in support of the recently released Shelter album.

Openers, The Fauns add to the anticipation with an impressive set of early Lush-style indie rock. The shimmering guitars and ethereal vocals mesh well with the My Bloody Valentine dynamics and manages to get a few heads nodding.

Hexvessel are a completely different proposition. It is obvious from the outset that Kvohst is on fine form, his voice rich and charismatic. The sound is fantastic throughout the set with every drawn out note sounding crystal clear. Tunnel At The End Of The Light opens and the maudlin neo-folk is immediately captivating. It also shows off the frontman's higher range which is also impressive. The set starts off concisely but gradually becomes more expansive as the band's metallic power begins to surface. The heavier and more sprawling Hexvessel's downbeat psychedelia becomes, the crowd reaction grows accordingly. A couple of jams could possibly be a couple of minutes shorter but it doesn't stop them from being mesmerising. Woman Of Salem closes the set powerfully and triumphantly.

Alcest are the main attraction, however, and they step on stage to a heroes welcome. The set is a good mixture of new and old material. The sunny indie rock of the newer tracks fit in well alongside the blackened shoegaze of the older material but they all have a mesmeric power. The sound is good but not great. The drums occasionally drown out the vocals during some of the more delicate moments. The sound also loses definition during the sole moment where they go into all out blasting mode. These are, however, minor gripes. Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde is a highlight as it is played with a tribal intensity thanks to the percussive drumming.

After ninety minutes, the band put down their instruments and leave the stage with their soaring vocal harmonies still reverberating round the venue, and the roars of adulation this draws from the crowd proves that this show can only be considered a triumph.