Gaining momentum on the back of mesmerising live shows over the past year has seen London based five-piece Dry The River hit many a tastemaker’s list for 2012. A string of festival appearances in 2011, including Glastonbury, End Of The Road, Reading and Leeds, plus a sold out show at The Scala many months before their debut album was even scheduled for release confirms public demand for them continues to grow. Tonight’s sold out show at XOYO reinforces the assumption that their star is indeed in the ascendant.
Dry The River’s heavy influence of traditional folk and gospel with lyrics steeped in religious iconography is not what you expect from a heavily tattooed bunch of rockers. If you resolve to judge a book by its cover, a few heavy beards within the band might be the only indication of what you’re about to hear. Incorporating earthy vocals, sweet harmonies, acoustic and electric guitars with the occasional flourish of violin produces a captivating mix of Americana. Lead singer and front man Peter Liddle recently described the group as “folky gospel music performed by a post-punk band.” This accurately illustrates why they’re so appealing to such wide range of music fans.
Opening tonight’s gig with ‘Demons’, Liddle’s ethereal voice wraps around the crowd like a warm glow. Suddenly the packed venue now has the band’s full attention as they power straight into ‘No Rest.’ The emotive power of Liddle’s lyrics on this song makes an impression. He tells of the “sweat on his brow” and the “fear in his heart” while declaring “I loved you in the best way possible.”
On ‘Weights & Measures’, down go the electric guitars and microphones for an acoustic a capella first verse to a hushed audience. The harmonies are beguiling and poignant as Liddle pours out the pain of love lost: “You are the coldest star in the sky, only I couldn't see it, I was blind and in comes the black night.” Kicking into a full on post-rock electric ending is reminiscent of Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver and sounds equally as epic. It’s a special night for this crowd as the band won’t be playing club venues much longer.
Genuinely grateful for the adoration shown to them, the encore finishes with 'Lions Den'. Any restraint held back during the set gives way to a cathartic head-banging thrash. This rock out may allude to where Dry The River have come from musically, but where they’re certainly headed now is to household name status.
Dry The River’s debut album ‘Shallow Bed’ is released on RCA Victor on 5th March with the first single ‘The Chambers & The Valves’ out on 27th February. A 13-date UK tour kicks off in Nottingham on 17th April.
Words by Alison Kerry
