The Mysterines played Manchester Psych Fest last year. I gave them a cursory listen beforehand to decide whether they were worth watching and I decided that they weren't really for me. I remember them as sounding like very generic indie. However, the guitarist bowing his guitar to start their set gives me some hope. They immediately confound my expectations as they are much more rock than I expected. They play a dark brand of rock which sounds like Chelsea Wolfe or AA Williams fronting Foo Fighters. 'Dangerous' sounds like a female fronted Queens Of The Stone Age. I'm reminded of Siouxsie Sioux on the new track 'Strong' (or is it 'Stray', I couldn't quite read my own handwriting) which also has some nice dirty sounding guitars. 'Hung Up' has a driving Foo Fighters rock feel. It is a bit pedestrian at times but they are generally better than expected.
Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes open with what sounds like downbeat 70s style soft rock. Frank sounds great and looks sharp too, like a prizefighter at ringside ready to step in the ring and challenge the winner of the big fight. The crowd are fully invested right from the start. There's a big Arctic Monkeys influence, partly because of Frank's vocal similarity to Alex Turner. There is a real power to tracks like 'Self Love' which comes across like a simpler, less pretentious Muse. The band are really enthusiastic and their spirit is contagious, I was particularly impressed by the two guitarists who appear to give all that they have. They are much heavier live than they are on record as evidenced by 'Devil Inside Me'. Queen Of The Stone Age's muscular riff driven rock is an obvious reference point, only played with a punk rock energy, as demonstrated on 'Honey'. Much of the set is centred around the new album. It is surprising then that the show is as vibrant as it is as I found the record quite maudlin on first listen. 'Sun Bright Golden Happening' slows the pace down and it feels intimate despite the size of the venue. 'Superstar's lurching riff on the verse gives way to a hugely anthemic chorus. Frank instructs the crowd to bounce during 'Lullaby' and the crowd has no option but to comply, carried away by its buoyant energy. In fact, the crowd are really impressive as they are rabid throughout and this helps to elevate the show. I wasn't particularly looking forward to tonight but this was unexpectedly good.
Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes ****
The Mysterines ***
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