sunn o))) return to Manchester in their Shoshin (初心) Duo form. Shoshin being the Buddhist concept of learning with a “beginner’s mind,” surrendering preconceived notions in favour of openness and radical zeal. 

The jazzy sounds of Alice Coltrane fill the clear air in Manchester’s newest concert room; the swish New Century Hall. Merch is being purchased fervently and there is an expectancy and aura in the air. For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of witnessing sunn o))) in the live arena, this is an event. One of great sonic weight.

JESSE SYKES

Jesse Sykes has history with sunn O))). She was a writer and vocalist on their 2006 track, The Sinking Belle (taken from sunn o)))’s collaboration with Boris). As part of The Sweet Hereafter, Jesse has a wide range of material available.

A trio of chairs sit in front of the 10 plus amplification set up that sunn o))) require. It is a stark and foreboding backdrop.

Bathed in red, the trio of Sykes with Phil Wandscher and Bill Herzog gently open proceedings. Sykes unique and deft voice packs an emotional punch with the countrified sounds of the band. The serenity bubble is punctured with Wandscher hitting the distortion pedal as he peels off a ripping solo during the opening track; Hard Not To Believe.

Be It Me Or Be It None is another dramatic piece with Sykes commanding the room with her voice. The already large crowd greet each song with warmth. Winter Hunter might evoke cold imagery, but the warm bass and vibrato heavy solo keep things cosy.

Sykes picks her acoustic along with her compadres. It is a genuinely lovely feel in the room. It’s a little unnerving with the main event on the horizon! In a fitting segue, Jesse Sykes set ends in a swirl of dense feedback that cues up sunn o))) perfectly.

SUNN O)))

Flanked by a humongous backline and three vertical lights facing the crowd sunn o)))’s set up is the very definition of maximal minimalism.

As the lights in New Century Hall’s funky roof dim, the tension rises. The hall is packed; everywhere. Would there even be enough space for sunn o)))’s legendary sound to move through the people? Well, yes. This sound gets where water can’t.

Red lights shimmer on the top of the amps and fog consumes the entirety of the hall. An awkward silence follows as the crowd watch the cauldron of a stage come to a boil. The cloaked duo of then strike the first notes. Any ignorance from the ‘gig talkers’ is wonderfully muted. No chance of a casual conversation here.

Gradually, the cloaked silhouettes of Anderson and O’Malley cut through the smoke with the light gradually revealing itself. Spectral polygons of light wash over the crowd. Fists, hands and horns punch through the glacial fog as the masses immerse themselves in the intensity of the sound.

As the music gestates, the effects and sound that sunn o))) create is mesmeric. It feels like a helicopter is flying way too close to the room at one point. There is a sense that the band are playing a twisted game with their tools as they eek every ounce of resonance and tone. High ends and low ends merge and screeches of feedback occasionally appear. For the most part though, the sound is one of earthiness. When the sound shifts back into low gear, it really does move you.

Communication and rapport between the band and the audience is not achieved through words. Instead, the duo slowly raise their hands in deadly unison; the crowd reciprocate. They hold their guitars aloft as they are enveloped by increasing amounts of smoke. These gestures bring appreciation from the crowd.

Whilst the sound is the dominant aspect of the show, this is also a form of art with the presentation. The waves of fog would put John Carpenter to shame! Smoke dances a phantasmal routine around the light; and vice versa. It shows how the dexterity of the sound moves in unison with the air. When all aspects of this performance collide, it has a distinct effect on the mind, body and soul.

Superlatives like ‘crushing’ or ‘towering’ serve no purpose. There is a bank of words reserved for sunn o))). Cosmic, monolithic, seismic, primeval, epochal…dig into your thesaurus and you’ll find more. When you witness sunn o))) in their live form, it tests the extremes of the senses. Triumphantly, the pair raise their hands to the sky as the duo bring to a close their sonic and highly tactile performance.

As the infamous line goes, ‘Ever breathe a frequency?’ A whole hearted yes. Yes…I have.

If you want to get a bit of a sense of sunn o)))’s performance, you can check out a full set below. However, nothing beats being in the room to witness the force of the sound.

sunn 0))): Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp

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