DEAF HAVANA – MANCHESTER ACADEMY – 11/11/2022
‘The Present is A Foreign Land’ marked an exciting new chapter for Deaf Havana on its release earlier this year, with the band evolving into a two piece with brothers James & Matthew Veck-Gilodi from being a band since 2005. After the release and success of ‘Rituals’ in 2018, there was a feeling of the band burning out a little, particularly in their live shows, so a refresh in line up and a new challenge of the bend taking the form as a two piece looks to have given the brothers a new lease of life.
Their 7 date UK headline tour has just kicked off and it’s Manchester Academy next on the list for the Alt-rockers who have just got underway after their first shows in Cardiff & Nottingham. It’s not quite a sell-out, but it’s a strong turn out on a Friday night in Manchester and the fans are excited to witness some of the recent album live for the first time.
As ever the stage is set with backlight moody blue & red lighting in keeping with the theme of their new album as Deaf Havana kick off the show by easing us into their set with their album openers ‘Pocari Sweat’ and ‘19Dreams’, meaning we don’t have to wait long for a taste of something new live and it doesn’t disappoint. ‘Trigger’ follows throwing us back into their slightly older material and it still sounds as fantastic live as it did back in 2017.
The set progresses by mainly swinging us back and forth between tracks from ‘The Present is A Foreign Land’, 2017’s ‘All These Countless Nights’, and ‘2018’s Rituals’. Of the newer material, ‘Someone/Somewhere’ & ‘Nevermind’ provide more relaxing moments for the crowd watching in awe a beautiful live version of the swaying tracks live. ‘Kids’, ‘Going Clear’ & ‘On The Wire’ all in contrast lift the mood with arms in the air and have us all singing along with the frontman passionately, with ‘Going Clear’ as one of the standout tracks from the show.
The only anomaly of the setlist seemed to be the inclusion of ‘Mildred’ from 2013’s ‘Old Souls’ which was a great throwback with its progressive, uplifting, driven tune, and one with a chorus so infectious you can’t help but sing along. Fan favourite ‘Sinner’ closes the core of the setlist with frontman James working his way around the stage with grasping his microphone free from his guitar, working the crowd into getting involved and moving to really lift the tone of the set further into orbit.
The encore gives the fans a taste of the new album title track ‘The Present is a Foreign Land’ which has everyone headbanging along before we’re all blown away with a solid performance of ‘Fever’ which fills the academy with its huge chorus which would have been a fit end to the set, however it falls to ‘Remember Me’ to calm us all back down before we’re all back on our way into the night in Manchester.
There is certainly a shift in attitude and from Deaf Havana in their live shows, and the level of performance and commitment to a solid show is clear tonight. The level of self-belief from James & Matthew seems to have lifted off the back of this album and it’s noticeable in their presence on the Manchester stage. It’s a fantastic start to their new chapter together and one we’re confident will only get better as they continue with this momentum.
Check out the full set of live photos of Deaf Havana live in Manchester here!
(PLEASE DO NOT CROP OR EDIT PHOTOS)
Photo Credit: © Danny Peart Photography 2022
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