Live Review: The Cookie Jar Complot – Manchester

Live Review: The Cookie Jar Complot - The Peer hat, Manchester

26th May 2025
Support: Mrs Frighthouse, She The Throne
Words: Matthew Williams

On one of the hottest days of the year so far, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the prospect of spending several hours underground in a Manchester basement, but what transpired was a night of contrast and spell binding music that thrilled and enchanted all who dared to brave the heat.

As I got to the venue, we were told that things were running slightly late and Holy Wounds were unable to play, so we waited for the fun to begin, and boy did the fun begin in earnest with the rhythmic power of She The Throne. Having seen them live before, they bring a mysterious feel to the stage and allow the music to speak for itself. Faces hidden, they open with “Larentia” and stand over their bank of switches and keys, playing an array of noises with piercing, wailing vocals as landscapes shift on the screen behind them. The heavy pulsing beat is dictated by the hooded figure as the programmed loops build tempos for the beautifully nightmarish songs, with “Nephilim” up next.

The crowd are hypnotised not just by her voice but with her expressive arm and body movements, as we watch in a trance like state. There are screams, computerised vocals to compliment the slow, heavy drone influence that gets more pained and anguished during “Clonus” as the crushing imagery adds to the narrative. The immersive sounds are wide ranging and I can feel the floor vibrating during final track “Clare” due to the deep bass, but the music has gorgeous repetitive beats whilst remaining innovative. The hooded figure kneels in front of the speaker holding a shaker box, with a contact mic inside, pressing the kill switch as clanging chains create unfathomable noises complimenting the reverb and feedback to end a quite absorbing set.

I reviewed Mrs Frighthouse’s album back in September last year and was intrigued by how they would pull this off live. One half of the wife and wife duo, Carys, places flowers around the stage before they begin as the screen behind has a warning message about surgical images being used during the first and last song. The begin with “DIY EXORCISM” as red lights flood the stage, adding to the tense dramatic nature of their performance. Their blend of high-pitched vocals from Carys, are fractured by low end vocals from Luna and they get darker and more sinister with “Eyeliner”.

This isn’t just about music, this is visual art in action, yet they are besieged by several tech issues on the night, with the visuals having to be reset, and Carys has a long-standing issue with the mic until eventually the sound guy came to help. But after a hug and a kiss they preserved and played a haunting new song, which allowed the vocals to shine before “Seagulls (Part 1)” and then the majestic “White Plaster Roses”. The music is dark and moody, as “Veil” creates more tension and suspense in the venue.

“Seagulls Part 2” puts a smile on my face, as the duo now seem back on track and we are fully immersed in their world of horror movie soundtrack music with deathly, hallowed screams. “Our Culture Without Autonomy” is followed by “Let My Spit Be Poison” but it’s “My Body is a Crime Scene” that proves to be most memorable. Carys is almost statuesque in posture, staring intently into the distance, swaying gently, before they hug, and this frantic rant about coercive control spills forth. It’s powerful and dramatic, all adding the tension of the stage theatrics as they end with the title track off their album, “Solitude Over Control”, with more moody pianos and slow pulsing beats as they conclude their mesmerising display.

Having never heard of The Cookie Jar Complot previously, the trio completely won me over from the word go. I walked in as “Cookies” began and for the next 45-60 minutes I was in a happy place. In stark contrast to the two previous acts, their music is full of happy melodies fuelled by the marvellous bass playing from Philipp. With guitarist Sven thanking us for “coming out on this hot day” they are compelling and full of groove.

Their instrumental music is described as post-rock, but to me it seems the anthesis of the melancholy-based genre, as their bend of jazz beats with the bass playing off the guitar is joyful and euphoric. By the time we get to hear “Beaver Deceiver” followed by “Cicades” their rhythms are flowing effortlessly, and we get bass string plucking from Phillip and fretboard solos from Sven. Sadly, there are a few technical issues once again, before Philipp informs us that the next song is “Cranes x 3, Cranes, Cranes, Cranes” with is oozing with melody before bursting into life.

I wasn’t quite prepared for the uplifting music that was being played by the trio, as they switch tempos with ease as billowed smoke gently fills the room. They play “Turns Out” and “Golden Boy”, but drummer Gilles informs us that the backing track has gone, yet they persevere without it. They have excellent camaraderie on stage, and the click track appears to come back just in time for “Birds Are A Lie” which has bluesy undertones over the spaced-out rhythm. They finish with the brilliant “Bats, Bringers of the Night” and leave us all smiling as they encourage all inside to “have a chat with them over a beer”.

A night of contrasting musical genres, but one that will last long in the memory.