WORDS AND IMAGES BY WARREN MILLAR
‘Samuel Is On The Move, All Over The Stage Up And Down Dancing The Only Way He Knows. It’s Memorising To Watch’
American synth-pop band “Future Islands” kicked off their U.K 2022 tour with two dates at Academy, Manchester.
Baltimore based “Future Islands” consist of William Cashion Guitars, Samual T. Herring vocals and Gerrit Welmers keyboards/programming. Probably best known for their 2014 hit single “Seasons (Waiting On You)” which became a massive worldwide success after the band performed it live on “The late Show With David Letterman”. If you haven’t seen this live performance you must take a look to understand the reasons why this this appearance became a viral hit and shot the band into the mainstream pop headlines, not just because it is without doubt a classic single but the stage antics, vocals and dancing of front man Samual T. Herring. The youtube video of this Letterman performance gained millions of viewers. Described as a synth pop band they prefer to be classed as a “post-wave” band combining the genre’s of new wave and post-punk.
It was another quite balmy night as I walked from the car park right in the middle of The University of Manchester campus on my way to tonight’s venue Manchester Academy. The Academy venues, all three of them, are all part of the campus. On my short walk I pass numerous student’s in graduation gowns and mortarboard hats, all looking very happy. It must have been a graduation day at The University Of Manchester. It all added up to a very British scene. Congratulations to all those graduates.
The Venue was quite packed already as I made my way to the photo pit which was nice to see.
Our support for tonight is long time friend of “Future Islands”, American based composer and electronic musician “Dan Deacon” Now what can I say about this guy ? Very wacky but also very enjoyable. I would describe his music as Electronic wackyness at it’s very best. His audience participation was also lovely to see. During his third song “Change Your Life (you can do it)” he asked the crowd to form a big empty circle in front of the stage then called out the name of a fan who had tweeted to him how much he was looking forward to tonights gig. This guy came forward and it was then his job during the song to dance and invite others to join him in the circle until it was full. Great if not slightly, but brilliantly strange set. Dan also actually wore his face mask throughout his whole set so sorry for the lack of full face images here.
So the lights dim and the time everyone has been waiting for is here. The PA plays Isao Tomita’s version of Suite Bergamasque No3, I hadn’t heard this since I was in my early 20s and brought back so many great memories of me discovering great electronic music. On walk the band members and then with is now almost trademark dance/walk, knees bent and low to the ground arrives Mr Samuel T. Herring. The Crowd go crazy, you can sense the admiration they have for this guy. It’s straight into the first song “On The Water” and almost immediately Samuel is on the move, all over the stage up and down dancing the only way he knows. It’s memorising to watch, his eyes sometimes that wide open they look like they are about to pop out of his skull, the passion on his face and in his gestures shows this guy really does love what he is doing on stage. He gets us all wanting more right from the get go.
The stage set is also looking good with shapes all covered in white cloths and resembling an abstract snowy mountain scene which also made the most of the stage lighting. The show continues with Samuel not letting down one bit. Every song he gives 100% of his own inevitable style of movement and dance. High kicks, low down moves, spins and chest beating not slowing down for one second and boy how the crowd appreciate this. They play quite a few tunes from their most recent album “As Long As You Are” Including “For Sure” and “Hit The Coast”.
Stand out songs on the night for me on the night include “Peach” “Walking Through That Door”, A live debut of “King Of Sweden”, “Lighthouse” and of course the tune that back in 2014 on the Letterman show heralded the arrival big time of “Future Islands” “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
What can I say to sum up tonight’s first show of Future Islands U.K. tour, well I thought of this on the way home feeling more that entertained.
Keep on doing what you do best “Future Islands”. To Samuel T. Herring (By the way one of the coolest names in music) Keep on dancing like no one is watching, even though thousands are and loving every second of it !
SET LIST
1/ On the Water
2/ For Sure
3/ Hit the Coast
4/ Beauty of the Road
5/ Plastic Beach
6/ Peach
7/ Waking
8/ Walking Through That Door
9/ Balance
10/ Before the Bridge
11/ Light House
12/ Moonlight
13/ King of Sweden (Live debut)
14/ A Dream of You and Me
15/ The Painter
16/ Ancient Water
17/ Seasons (Waiting on You)
18/ Long Flight
19/ Tin Man
20/ Thrill
Encore:
21/ Inch of Dust
22/ Vireo’s Eye
23/ Little Dreamer
FOLLOW FUTURE ISLANDS
FOLLOW DAN DEACON
Warren is a live music and festival photographer based in Cheshire and covers gigs/festivals mostly in the North West of England. He has been photographing live music for over 10 years and has covered major artists and festivals
