XML FeedsAnathema, The Assembly, Leamington, 14 February 2011
By Michael Wilson on Feb 20, 2011 | In Reviews | Send feedback »
It's always a real treat to see Anathema live and it's always a special occasion to witness a gig in Leamington Spa's plush venue, The Assembly. As post-progressive rockers North Atlantic Oscillation hit the stage and start the night with their infectious brand of electronic tinged prog the room begins to fill and it becomes clear why The Assembly has won numerous best live performance venue awards last year with acoustics like this. The musicianship and technical ability of North Atlantic Oscillation is unquestionable as the Scottish trio deliver an enthused set.
Of course the night is all about Anathema. Having released what for many was last year's album of the year, it's a real pleasure to hear album opener 'Thin Air' kick off proceedings tonight. The ever flamboyant rockers continue to wow and electrify the audience with an entire rendition of the award winning progressive masterpiece 'We're Here Because We're Here'. As we near the halfway point 'Angels Walk Among Us' starts up, a song so beautiful that you can feel the hairs on your neck stand tall in approval. It's at this point that many couples hold hands or one another, reminding us that this is Valentine's Day - although you'd be forgiven for forgetting, when engrossed in Anathema all other notions of love and romance go out the window.
The significance of this special set is enhanced further following the hypnotic 'Hindsight's' climax. Frontman Vincent Cavanagh simply declares, "that was our new album" before storming into the bang your heads and clap your hands anthem 'Deep', a song that really should be performed in a stadium, goodness knows Anathema deserve success of this standard. Indeed as the more mainstream sounding but no less excellent 'Empty' gets going full swing you have to ask why the hell the Liverpool based art rockers aren't bigger because it isn't down to lack of ability, showmanship or stage presence. As they close the evening with crowd pleaser and sing-a-long hit 'Fragile Dreams', the crowd are left cheering and longing for more, but for now we must wait and salvage what we've had - a magical, hypnotic evening courtesy of Liverpool's Masters of Rock Anathema.
Words: Michael Wilson
Images: JY. Marquis
