Stick In The Wheel – Deaf Institute, Manchester: Live Review

Mike Ainscoe

1 year ago

Stick In The Wheel – Deaf Institute, Manchester – Saturday 26th October 2024

“we’ve not been here before. so that’s nice.”

The ‘underground hybrid trad-electronic’ nor forgetting ‘radical’ duo’ (+ drummer), hit The Lodge at Manchester’s Deaf Institute just off Oxford Road. It’s our first time in this particular part of this venue and with a (very) low stage and a pretty packed standing crowd, we just about manage to squeeze in at the back to catch the end of a support set from Jennifer Reid who’s in the middle of a shouty/poem/diatribe/thing that’s very on the ball and we’re a bit miffed at missing most of the set (although there was a very amusing contretemps concerning a taxi and a group of ladies right outside the venue to keep the earlier queues entertained).

“it’s not raining. i’m a bit disappointed“

Like other Seuras Og/ATB faves, the”Mag-bloody-nificent!!!” Lankum, Stick In The Wheel continue to take traditional/folk music by the scruff of the neck. Of similar ilk, although playing the second stage in a venue while Lankum are, dare we say, mainstreaming at the Hammersmith Odeon/Eventim Apollo. However, that’s perhaps more in keeping with their philosophy and musical message; like they wouldn’t be out of place in the background of a Hogarth etching of a scene from Dickens – maybe a backstreet alley or pub with a cast of unsavory characters going about their business – or even setting up under the arches around Piccadilly station.

New album A Thousand Pokes is receiving rave reviews literally everywhere including we note a feature in Songlines magazine – yeah, ok, we liked it too, but are already seated comfortably on the bandwagon. The SITW trio wander through the crowd and begin an onslaught that combines their more electronic drone leanings shrouded in a heavily saturated red light and the more familiar five string Dobro chimes. There’s mucho banter in the Manc/Cockney vein. “Did you understand any of that?” Nicola Kearey deadpans after a particularly rapid and rabid opening flurry of verbage.

“we were in nottingham last night. they’ve got caves. what’ve you got?”

For the next hour and a bit, we’re treated to an episode of bleak and stark tales, chilling nursery rhymes, pounding drums and lashings of Dobro. We even get a ballad that struggles a bit to compete with some of the thudding from the gig in the floor above. The band is called Noisy, but it doesn’t stop watercress being followed, quite aptly by the singsong What Can The Matter Be? You deal with it…

If they have signature tunes, then Bedlam is certainly one, as is Over Again (“One from the telly? I dunno?“). You know you’ve made it when you get requests from the throng. There are even shout outs for Common Ground as they sadly have to call time and leave with a communal Poor Old Horse as an alternative.

“this’ll show ’em upstairs“

A drone is set up, resisting the temptation to tweak the knobs to 11. A dose of ethnic Eastern Cockney mysticism is just what’s required. Slow tempos, a treated vocal and into the realms of Psychedelic Doom Folk we sway. A slow build casts the spell, doing the job perfectly and any vestiges of Noisy are banished.

A trio of new songs see the car crash commentary and Gallic flavoured Can’t Stop and the music hall fairground grind of Back Of The Hatch followed by the the album’s title track. It’s back to the unfiltered sound that trademarks Stick In The Wheel. They finish as they start with a wash of red light to add to the intensity of Villon Song. An absolute tsunami of rhythm and guitar soloing sees them verging on mainstream-ish rock. Some of their more experimental work that veers into ambient areas might get short shrift in the live set but the alternative is a stirring offering brimming with primal roots.

“you’ve been watching stick in the wheel. we’ll see you later.”

and likely they will as the first Tuesday in December sees them in the Philharmonic Music Room in Liverpool and we’d be up for another bout of East London vs Scouse banter.