Geordie Greep at Brudenell Club Review

In support of his life-changing new album, Geordie Greep continues The New Sound tour. Long may it ride. The ex-Black Midi member has provided a sharp and twisted continuation of what he does best. His slippery lyrical presence is as exciting as it is venomous, poisoned by the real-world experiences only the confident or the drunk will reveal. Such is the core of his debut solo work, and with the tales collected from salsa-clacked floors comes a volatile and often hilarious look at the world, the relationship between cracked individuals and their desire for a beautiful period of faithful Latin and salsa nods. It all comes to a head on The New Sound, an endless piece of charming work extended beautifully by its adaptation and performance on stage. No better spot for it than The Brudenell Club. No better man for the analysis of modern culture and lust than Greep and this unique musical collective. 

Conductor Greep, the catalyst for keeping those improvised instrumentals in check, hearing how they can lead from one song to another, is remarkable. Seeing it unfold is a wonderful experience and the willingness to explore those instrumental flourishes, the winding avenues of sound which feel so alive on The New Sound, is charming. There is plenty of time for covers, too. The Boys are Back in Town is given an outing with guitarist Dan on vocals while Felix Stephens leads a tremendous, as-yet-untitled song. Crucial to all of this is how Greep can slip in and out of his role as band leader. He is a crucial part of the guitar work at play, often in sync or plotting with the fellow guitarist and bass, the pair often back-to-back or leaping around the stage when not focused on leading an improv into song. What becomes clear is the joy on stage, and such is the point of improvisation. 

Most of the show is improvisation but how we get there and where it leads to, Holy, Holy into The Boys Are Back in Town or Black Midi cover The Defence into Bongo Season, unveils a new side to Greep. New genres and sounds are already bursting, the Keith Jarrett effect is on display here. A staggering collection of musicians playing host to what is one of the most remarkable voices you can hear on stage right now. Greep sounds phenomenal, holding lengthy notes for heartbreaking tenderness or to elevate the track. Terra and The Magician sound beautiful in the Brudenell Club atmosphere. A charming frontman backed by some incredibly talented musicians. A few flubbed lyrics but forgiven and understood, the flow of music and the sparks of adrenalin made by this sound are not just for the audience to get lost in but the artist too. It adds a layer of love to an already exceptional show. The New Sound evolves before your eyes, as it does when listening at home. Truly tremendous. 

This sense of evolution comes from the complexity of the tracks. Repeating those notes verbatim would be near impossible, and sound stagnant by the third show. In the slight flickers of adaptation comes a, well, a new sound. Greep and the band are keen to let their instruments do the talking, and as their frontman swaggers around the stage with some exceptional salsa moves, the focus is not on the sound but on how they make it. Watching this unfold is a beautiful experience. A setlist crammed full of charming experience, the likes of Through a War and As If Waltz sound so boisterous, so volatile, in a live setting. Those little flickers of instrumental change overlap the black humour and bold interpretations of the world around Greep and the band. It is an experience like no other, and it will never be that way again.