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André Paine's rating
Elbow, St John at Hackney - review
By
André Paine
23 Nov 2011
Not content with outshining the younger, glossier pop acts at last week's Children in Need Rocks TV concert, Elbow were back for more good works at the first of this year's Little Noise Sessions.
Now in its sixth year, the series of Mencap charity gigs continues this week with Marina & the Diamonds, Coldplay and Goldfrapp. There's also an imposing new home, St John-at-Hackney, a splendid venue for music even if the queue for the portable lavatory outside made it feel, briefly, like an especially chilly festival.
Lesser bands may have struggled with the yawning church space but burly frontman Guy Garvey was not to be outdone by a particularly high ceiling. The grinding rhythms on the slow-building The Birds swelled to fill the church while Garvey's velvety croon on Mirrorball was intimate perfection.
However, this didn't prevent the audience trying to join in throughout the show with woo-hooing, whistling and chanting, often awful yet encouraged by the cheery Garvey, the least precious of indie rock singers.
Indeed, the Manchester band, who won the 2008 Mercury Prize following years of hard slog, have embraced their newfound popularity. The Bones of You and Grounds for Divorce, featuring Garvey banging drums alongside its monster guitar riff, were clearly established arena anthems.
Yet songs from this year's album, Build a Rocket Boys!, were arresting even without big choruses. Garvey sounded like an overgrown choirboy on The Night Will Always Win, while Dear Friends was restrained and ultimately resplendent.
Inevitably, Elbow finished with the euphoric One Day Like This, complete with rousing string section and chanting crowd. At which point, it felt fitting to be in a place of worship.
The Mencap Little Noise Sessions run until November 27. littlenoisesessions.org.uk
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
