To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a Dry Cleaning live performance - Would that deadpan delivery from Florence Shaw, and the toned down post-punk/alt vibes translate? Would the songs be engaging enough to carry the audience along through a full set?
Simply put - yes. It all worked really well. The music sounded much heavier when played live and the musicianship of the band members was really clear to see and hear. One thing that stood out to me in particular was the drumming from Nick Buxton: this came across as several times more exciting, and much more organic - it was a more prominent part of the band's songs as compared with the studio versions, and (as an ex drummer myself) I welcomed that.
The guitar work from Tom Dowse was fantastic, too. You could see and feel the energy and effort that he put in, and there were some great moments when he was the sole focus during extended solos. Meanwhile Lewis Maynard provided growling, chunky bass sounds, underpinning the music with a really solid foundation.
Florence herself was, unsurprisingly, an incredible presence on stage - mostly mysterious and yet very human and relatable; well grounded; retaining the deadpan image. That was until a loud heckle from the audience ("Inescapable!!", rather inexplicably) made her break into a genuine laugh and unguarded smile, and broke down the wall a bit. "This never happens to us," Florence said, obviously pretty tickled by it.
The set opened with 'Leafy', followed by three more songs from the band's 2021 album 'New Long Leg'. 'Her Hippo' was particularly good - you could sense that the band had got into their stride by that point, feeling out the room and their audience. The song included a brilliant extended outro, complete with Florence on the tambourine.
The set included some older pieces too. 'Sit Down Meal' from 2019 sounded great, for example - very fluid and well melded.
A high energy 'Magic of Meghan' was the beginning of the end of the set - and the crowd literally went wild for this one. Again, the solid guitar work was a key element to its success - Tom pushed out the riffs at full pelt, and it was easy to see why that got everyone bouncing. Two song later came the finale, and album opener, 'Scratchcard Lanyard'. This was a great way to round out the set - the song pulsed with life and provided all of the band members with room to show off their skills.
To be honest, I was expecting a slightly more sedate experience at this gig, but was glad that my expectations were not met this time. I never imagined I'd hear a large crowd 'singing' along at top volume to Dry Cleaning, but that's exactly what happened. A combination of dedicated fans and a band which were willing to give it their all contributed to what was a pretty energetic experience. There was a real sense of thrill from where I was standing, throughout the whole hour. That's why it was a particular shame that the band didn't (for whatever reason) come back out for an encore. They would have been very welcome!
Setlist
Leafy
Unsmart Lady
Strong Feelings
Her Hippo
Sit Down Meal
Viking Hair
More Big Birds
Traditional Fish
New Long Leg
Magic of Meghan
Tony Speaks!
Scratchcard Lanyard
Date of gig: 27 February 2022