Live Review: Wren – Manchester

Having reviewed their latest release “Black Rain Falls” beforehand, I was extremely excited about going to see Wren for the first time. It was another new venue for me, and the venue was roughly the size of someone’s front room, so I expected a loud and noisy evening ahead.

However, it didn’t quite begin that way, with support for all four album release shows coming from Sheffield’s R.Loomes, a name I was unfamiliar with. Her gloomy tones are set to a single electric guitar, so I was intrigued, as were the 30 or so people assembled upstairs. Her music reminds me of Twin Peaks as its all very moody and atmospheric, with a soul searching vocal.

After a quick guitar tune up and admitting with a laugh, that this was her “favourite bit” she plays “Bed for My Wounds” which was heartfelt and emotional, and fitted the overall melancholy theme of her performance. With warm, generous applause throughout, we have a bit more drama in the final few songs, one of which I think was called “Noonsday Devil” which had a bit of a cowboy/western feel to it, before she disappeared into the crowd.

After having a brief chat with Wren vocalist/guitarist Owen beforehand, he confirmed that they were playing the new album from start to finish, and that brought a smile to my face. Laden with pedal boards galore, they take their que from drummer Seb, who has two floor lights either side of him, as the rest of the stage is in darkness, but they launch into the bulldozer of an opening track “Flowers of Earth”.

With bassist Mark facing the drums, something he does with great regularity, they get into their stride quickly and without hesitation go straight into my favourite song “Toil in the Undergrowth”. It’s a slow and brooding song, and sounds even heavier live, and I enjoy watching Chris on guitar as he tends to face his amp quite a bit like he’s lost in his own world. The opening of “Betrayal of Self” sees drummer Seb in complete control and they cruise through the song with consummate ease.

Apart from “Toil” the one song I couldn’t wait to hear was “Metric of Grief” as it has some brilliant bass sections, which are executed superbly by Mark, and it’s a huge song, that has the floor shaking. The eerie and dark introduction to “Precede the Flint” has the accompaniment from the synth controlled by the drummer, and sets the tempo, before the chaos reigns down upon us. Heads are banging in the crowd, and with elements of melancholy, mixed with feedback at the end, it’s appreciated by all in the room.

The show ends with final track “Scorched Hinds” which sees the front 3 more animated and letting lose, to project their raw, brutal and powerful song upon the masses. They tear through the song which captivates all of us, and with one broken drumstick, it leads to big hugs all round for the foursome on a job very well done. It seems somewhat fitting that after a night of gloom and despair, I step out into miserable rainy weather in Manchester, to complete the perfect night.