The Inspector Cluzo, Nate Bergman – Night & Day Cafe, Manchester – 26th November 2023

In the support slot, Nate Bergman’s heart-rending and highly charged emotional set in what has become his adopted English city  (cue the Ode To manchester song)he saw him share his innermost feelings of a relationship breakdown. In one song he told of how “his heart was an empty house ” but as he poured out his soul for an appreciative local Manc audience they clearly took him to their hearts. Stranded here at the beginning of the pandemic as he kick-started his solo career like many artists during that time. The Whiskey Jar in the Northern Quarter just a stones throw away, ensuring his muse wasn’t lost but gave inspiration for for much personal recollection. Switching between acoustic and electric guitar, is pitch-perfect vocals may at times be harsh to the ear but appropriate to deliver the deep feelings he was aiming to express.

Talking of pre-lockdown, our last live encounter with The Inspector Cluzo was at a similar time, almost back to back with the Night & Day at the Soup Kitchen in February 2020. They released Horizons at the start of the year and are keen to impart some of the new music with an agricultural bent on a healthy crowd.

An evening with The Inspector Cluzo is more than a bonanza of rapid riffs (a la many heavy rock group you could mention) but also an agricultural eye-opener.  Through songs like Save The Geese and Swallows, we learnt how fine the balance is between feeding 9 million people and maintaining organic farming methods by not using chemically enhanced farming. Their mistrust of Parisienne bureaucracy when the culling of geese was demanded but our Gallic gardeners stood their ground and refused this imposition and also told the tale in Save The Geese.

Their farming exploits are as unique as their musical delivery. Laurent’s vocal in the dynamic Outsider showed his full range from shrill castrato which is never ear piercing but tuneful to his deeper richer tones. Somewhere in between is his solid rocker’s voice. All this backed by a constant onslaught of riveting compelling riffs that vibrate through your chest.  With Matthieu’s incessant percussion driving this powerhouse unit along you were amazed that his meagre drum kit of snare, tom tom and bass drum with a handful of cymbals could emit such pounding rhythms.  

It doesn’t take much for the faithful and newcomers of The Inspector Cluzo to establish empathy, such is the quality of their performance. Mathieu’s Cantona-esque conducting of a singalong from the front bank on speakers or posturing  as though to confirm the conclusion of some numbers (almost like asking: “wasn’t that good?“) is far from arrogant but endears the duo even more to the joyful throng. Willingly the room sang along – even when the tune refers to Iggy Pop’s private parts – and waved along to Put Your Hands In The Air for The Inspector Cluzo.

Just in case you think our French rockers seek the tranquility of the countryside in their farming as a haven of peace away from the vibrant world of rock, you are wrong. Their song Running A Family Farm is More Rock Than Rock ’n  Roll dynamically displays the point. “This is just a live show!” announces Laurent. “No tapes or computers – only for email!” he adds just in case we wonder if the tremendous sound is digitally enhanced, while thanking the neighbours and wives for looking after their business while they go on the road.

As the crowd dispersed into what remained of Sunday night’s festive spirit drifting from the nearby Christmas Markets, their spirits remained high after this high-octane cracker of a  show. 

The Inspector Cluzo online: Official Website / Facebook / Twitter

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