On a spring night blossoming with anticipation, two four-piece bands brought dual doses of genre-defying brilliance to Islingtonâs Assembly Hall: the raw, radiant British Birds, andâheadliningâthe dreamy, kinetic Pale Blue Eyes.
As you may know, British birds are renowned for their diverse songs, unique adaptations, and widespread presence in gardens and woodlands. British Birds are also a four-piece band from Chorley, Lancsâand could be similarly described.
Their vibrant, smile-inducing, and uplifting performance at Islingtonâs Assembly Hall was as fresh and joyous as that eponymous blackbird singing in the dead of night or heralding a morning.
At the beginning of their set, there was room for a Viennese waltz in the large Assembly Hall, but after the first couple of songs, maybe only a country two-step; it was as if word were getting out that something new and exciting was in townâŠ
We've been clean and sober for many years now, but in Merry-Go-Round, it felt like we actually heard bird noises"
Exploding on stage with Dull Boy, the sound was gorgeously and authentically theirsâfeaturing exciting tempo changes within cleverly structured songs and diverse harmonies (sometimes 4ths, 5ths, or even octaves apartâoh yes) developing from catchy melodies. Frontman Bobby Mamboânot a mob boss or master of the bossa nova, as far as we knowâled with his psych-infused tones, blending poppy garage rock and elements of theatrical charisma with an engagingly direct style. The energy of tambourine-wielding and harmonizing Emma Townson combined beautifully with the ever-so-cool bass playing of Ellie Winstanley, all the while anchored by the complex, polyrhythmic drumming of Lewis OâNeill, who created a strong, visceral groove that evoked a sense of movement and vitality throughout the set.
We’ve been clean and sober for many years now, but in Merry-Go-Round, it felt like we actually heard bird noises; thereâs an authenticity here that feels new, innovative, and uniquely theirs. The exuberance and raw energy are infectiousâand thrilling, if not trilling.
Speaking to Emma at the merch stall afterwards, she explained why previous reviews had confusingly described their sound as âwistfulâ and âmelancholic.â Their recently released EP Sucking Funny is different in styleâmore like what we heard tonight: an infectious, psych-fuelled, poppy garage romp (complete with delicious harmonies and even a bit of Percy Edwards thrown into the mix).
Citing influences such as The Ramones, the B-52s, Neutral Milk Hotel, and XTC, these four talented musicians have it all to play forâand this they do in the finale, Locomotive: a wild and exhilarating ride, an amalgamation of all the above and more, but ultimately, their own fabulous oxymoron of nostalgic novelty. A Frankensteinâs monsterâitâs alive.
Itâs the very last night of this Pale Blue Eyes tour, following the release of their third EP New Place last month. Listening to their music before the gig, it feels like the songs develop and sequence, adding knowledge and experience layer by layer. Serendipitously bumping into them earlier in the evening on Islington High Street, they were as lovely as their musicâtaking time to explain how they met and sharing highlights of the tour so far (Leeds, Bristol, and of course their hometown of Exeter, although itâs clear the whole thing has been a success).
The cohesion between musicians and the skilled balance of sound is spectacular"
Echoing British Birdsâ setup, the group is a four-piece: Matt stands front and centre(ish), Aubrey locks down the low end on bass, Lewis adds shimmer from stage right, and Lucyâhis partner in life and musicâdrives it all from behind the kit.
Flitting all over the stageâmuch to the dismay of the photographersâMatt is the connector of all parts: the organiser, communicator, and director of this accomplished sound. The cohesion between musicians and the skilled balance of sound is spectacular, immediately appreciated by the crowd (the Assembly Hall is now full downstairsâstanding room only for the most modest of dancing, a gothy shuffle at best).
Track after track, pulsing bass and radiant synth lines throb through the floor beneath us, creating a mesmeric, magical aura."
Lucyâs steady, driving beat pulses through us, while a profusion of dry ice conjures an ethereal excitement.
Pale Blue Eyes have a magnetic presence, barely pausing between tracks except for Matt to thank the crowd with an unassuming grin and a manner as engaging and open as when we surprised him on the street a couple of hours earlier. His vocals float through the mix like a ghost of a ghost caught on the breezeânever overbearing, but always essential. Track after track, pulsing bass and radiant synth lines throb through the floor beneath us, creating a mesmeric, magical aura.
Matt tells us they are âplaying songs from all records tonight,â and from the brand new Scrolling, which seamlessly segues into the older, well-loved and frequently played TV Flicker, we are immersed in a generously introspective intensity of harmonic and pentatonic pleasure.
Despite the introspective nature of their lyricsâgrief, nostalgia, the comfort of homeâthereâs a kinetic energy to Pale Blue Eyesâ performance. Tracks like More transformed the Assembly Hall into something closer to a synth-laced indie disco, and yet, even in these moments of elation, a strong emotional thread grounds the bandâs sheen and glimmer.
This is a band both intimate and expansive, melancholy but full of movement, modest yet quietly bold."
Highlights for us included the slow-burning Under Northern Sky, where the band allowed their sound to stretch and evolve, building towards the cathartic, reverb-drenched finale of Sister. It was a reminder that Pale Blue Eyes arenât just studio artisansâthey know how to capture hearts and minds in such an iconic venue too.
This is a band both intimate and expansive, melancholy but full of movement, modest yet quietly bold.
Tonight was krautrock-influenced dream-pop that buzzed with both melancholy and momentum, leaving everyone in a state of collective, woozy euphoria. Linger on, Pale Blue Eyes, linger on.
PALE BLUE EYES played Islington Assembly Hall on Thursday 17th April 2025
Support from BRITISH BIRDS
