It was pretty chilly last Sunday night in Nottingham, with an Arctic wind whipping through gritted streets. So I was glad to see the warm light of the Rescue Rooms, and hear the first chords of Hilang Child's set as I got my hand stamped.
I'd not encountered this artist before tonight, so I was looking forward to seeing what he delivered. For a good taste, check out Del Osei-Owusu's lovely review on the latest Fresh on the net Fresh Faves post, coincidentally published the day after the gig.
Ed Riman (the real name of the man behind Hilang Child) spent about half of the set sat behind a drum kit, singing lead vocals, backed by Sophia Grant on backing vocals, keyboards and, perhaps surprisingly, saxophone. For the other half, he switched to keys with Sophia standing nearby, often seeming to be entirely lost in the music - there was a clear positive connection between the two, and a real empathic energy throughout.
It's a cliched word to use, but his set was atmospheric in every sense, the music evoking emotion, echoes of Ed's Eurasian heritage, and a certain sense of healing. His music includes some novel choices - the sax being one, as well as his choice of cadences and chord progressions.
It came across as heartfelt and honest, and this was echoed in Ed's very chilled and natural stage banter - he seemed at ease in the high-ceilinged main room, and happy to reveal vulnerability, as well as strengths through his music. I felt his more upbeat songs - the ones where he pushed his drumming to the fore and began to let go a bit - worked better in this setting, but overall this was a good pathway towards the main act, and felt like a natural fit.
After a short turnaround (due to a tight load-out schedule - more on that later), Lanterns on the Lake were ready. The five walked on in semi-darkness, settling with their instruments and sending a hush over the audience as they eased into their first song.
The set felt poignant. Like the rest of the tour, it had been rescheduled and delayed at least once due to the dreaded virus, and vocalist Hazel Wilde remarked on this a number of times. You could detect her relief and joy - despite this being the last date of a fairly intense run - at being in front of a real-life crowd, and this genuine, pure emotion really lifted and carried the band's set.
If you're familiar with this band's music, you'll know how rich and layered it can be; and how effective it is at provoking emotional and spiritual responses. I was expecting a similar - and hopefully enhanced - feeling when adding the organic dimension of a live performance, and I was not disappointed. In fact, this performance exceeded expectations.
Hazel - who came across as supremely skilled but wonderfully humble - was flanked by musical alchemist / guitarist Paul Gregory on one side, and Angela Chan on violin on the other, the three commanding the stage, melding with the spot-on drumming from Oliver and thrumming bass lines from Bob Allan. They were all clearly having lots of fun too.
The crowd were rapt and respectful - pretty much awed into silence, until Hazel's comment about everyone being "un-nervingly quiet". Another reason for the hush was so everyone in the room could catch every fragment of Hazel's finely balanced vocals - she walked a tightrope, sometimes dropping to something barely above a whisper, but always enunciating every last consonant.
That night, we were treated a number of songs from 'Spook The Herd', an album released in February 2020, just before we all fell into the living bad dream of multiple long lockdowns. Listening to that album is haunting - it feels like a prescient forerunner to what we all know happened next. And hearing those songs live just added further weight to that feeling.
Three songs in came 'Every Atom' - always a personal favourite, and a soaring highlight of the set. It was gorgeously, gently sung, providing an early pin drop moment. But those moments of peace were brilliantly set off by Paul's almost savage twangs of his guitar, taking the song to a slightly different place from the studio recording.
A little later, the band played 'When It All Comes True', releasing without warning that heart chilling, skin prickling rising opening guitar and violin riff (up there with the all-time best song openings). I can vouch for the fact that hearing that song live has the power to transport you.
Another highlight was 'Before They Excavate' - Hazel teasing out those beautiful piano chords, and delivering those cutting lines with deceptive beauty. "Your small talk is killing me". As for 'Baddies' - it was quite simply amazing, the band showing real poise as they moved from the quiet times to controlled moments of cacophony. Energy and power, but under absolute control.
A slightly older song, 'Through The Cellar Door', was a very welcome feature of the set. The track appeared on Lanterns' November 2015 album 'Being', and sounded fresh and relevant here, as the band carefully pieced the music together, again with well-judged restraint, sprinkled with big blasts of letting go.
Their delivery of 'Secrets & Medicine' was almost unbearably poignant. "I guess you know the ending by now" sung Hazel, her voice dropping to bare audibility at times again. I sensed that no one minded this - it wasn't a case of straining uncomfortably to hear, but more of feeling drawn close, brought in to the band's inner circle.
'This Is Not A Drill' was also taken to a new level live, combining acoustic guitar and hugely overdriven bass notes, rising in intensity from start to finish. It was sung as part of a pseudo encore, the band never leaving the stage but instead inviting us to imagine they had done (this was because of a very tight schedule for this gig, with a club night taking place soon after the end of the live music). This was all done with such good grace and humour, demonstrating the humanity of the band. On that note, what a lovely touch it was to get Ed and Sophia from Hilang Child back on stage to sing backing vocals.
To me, that summed up the approach which Lanterns took on Sunday night - being professional, honest, open and really well connected with the room and everyone in it. I'd be very happy to see them again sometime soon.
(Last image courtesy of Charles Stickley)