The Dears? Reviews had been mixed but our minds, as always, remained open.
It was true, the band were back together- and the Garage, Islington soon filled up with a grateful and celebratory crowd of fans.
Before the long-awaited eruption from the past, first on stage was Francis Lung, a gentle, thoughtful and clever storyteller, singer and songwriter from Manchester, dressed all in white with a matching guitar. He sang us tales of chefs, hotels, Peter Pan, ghostly figures and miracles; of real life versus fiction.
Mixing songs with spoken word, Francis wove interesting chords with changing time signatures and imperfect and sometimes abrupt endings to create a richly woven story of a set.
Francis told us he was originally a drummer (in his early teens) before learning to play guitar in response to wanting to create something different from his band at the time. His guitar playing looks and sounds both effortless and complex- Francis actually told us his selection of diminished, augmented and suspended chords are a result of him being unable (at first) to play bar chords (we sympathise – the struggle is real!).
The result is a thoroughly entertaining, thought-provoking and emotive clutch of songs that were illuminating in their concepts and effects. Francis told us he likes “extremes of emotions- contrasts of light at dark”. Ambiguity was a golden thread running through his music- and it made us think; it made us smile.
What were we expecting from The Dears? Reviews had been mixed but our minds, as always, remained open. If it was empty melodrama London had come to witness, then we think disapointment was sure to follow.
The band came out to resounding applause from the now filled out Garage. The Dears’ mighty sound oozed into every corner as they launched their energetic and emphatic set with songs from their newly released Lovers Rock; ‘We’ll go into Hiding’, featuring catchy, punchy guitar riffs and stormy drums, followed by “Who are you, Defenders of the Universe?” and “Hate then Love”.
The passion, conviction and energy on stage was undeniable, with the band’s raison d’etre shining through".
The Montreal band play together in complex and cathartic harmony, sharing their original sound with the eager crowd. The sound is intense, the bass heavy and brooding, the message serious- and the audience are loving it. Fervent fans joined husband and wife duo Lightburn and Yanchak in their interwoven harmonies and at times unison singing, clearly loving the fact that the band were back together and performing their new as well as older material in the heart of London town.
The Dears’ sound is loud and full – Lightburn’s vocal range as impressive and versatile as always, exciting and enticing the crowd to fever pitch.
Drummer, Jeff ‘Looch’ Luciani ups the tempo for the fourth song, “Whites Only Party”- a melancholic sadness underpinned by a bright-feathered hope. “5 Chords” and “Disclaimer” showcase the strong connection between Murray, his wife Natalia and their fellow stage musicians, creating a theatrical and powerful aura in the atmospheric Garage.
Combining classic pop with catchy melodies and orchestral elegance, Lightburn leads us triumphantly (if somewhat pessimistically) on through “Here’s to the Death of Romance”, “Onward and Downward” and “Of Fisticuffs”.
Finishing their impressive and immersive set with “Instant Nightmare”, “The Second Part” and “Lost in the Plot” , The Dears are confident in their unique sound of instrumentational complexity- the themes of high variety and low uniformity evident through their use of acoustics, rhythm , timbre and tonality.
The passion, conviction and energy on stage was undeniable, with the band’s raison d’etre shining through. They believe in what they sing. The Dears are back- with a sound and a message as strong as ever- and they are, as ever, masters of how to communicate it.
THE DEARS played The Garage, Islington on 05th October 2022
Support from Francis Lung
Words and live photography Copyright of 1st 3 Magazine
Not to be reproduced without prior permission. Social media use only for persons depicted, event organisers and venue. Not to be cropped or altered in any way.