WORDS AND IMAGES BY WARREN MILLAR
We are back in Liverpool tonight at the wonderful Olympia theatre just on the outskirts of the City centre.
It’s a rather cool night when we arrive at the Olympia but its pleasing to see quite a few punters waiting to gain entry so early on.
Tonight we are in for a treat as we have the one and only “Public Service Broadcasting” a band this photographer/writer has been a fan of for many years. With Visuals and sound samples from across the decades to go along with their big sounding tunes these guys always put on a show so we are excited about tonight.
It’s nice to see as we enter the venue that it’s quite packed early doors. I always recommend getting in early to see the supports , you never know what you might discover. This being said let get on with this review and talk a little about tonight’s support.
Tonight’s support comes from “Pale Blue Eyes” a three piece band from Sheffield and Devon. These guys know their stuff and if I was to say what they are like and I may add I don’t like doing this with original bands but they are very New Order/Joy Division meets Echo and the Bunnymen. Lead singer Matt Board’s voice is outstanding and together with his partner Lucy on drums and Aubrey Simpson’s very Joy Division styled bass lines, they are are band that you really do need to check out. I found myself transported back to my mid late twenties at a club I used to frequent simply because they played so much Joy Division and similar music. They are tight and together but still with that raw feel and some of the amazing long and very danceable instrumental sections in their tunes where simply amazing. What a great start to the night and now a band we will follow with interest.
So it was time for the main attraction “Public Service Broadcasting” the house lights dim and we are first aware of a public service broadcast all about the use of mobile phones at gigs over the PA system. This is the hook that these guys seem to have tapped into, we all know the type of thing an eloquate voice giving information usually on what seems to be a very important subject, which in my view at least this is. Then over the PA to herald the bands entrance we have David Bowies “Sound and Vision” very apt for any “Public Service Broadcasting” gig.
Then the band take to the stage and gone are the tweed and corduroy attire instead band members J. Willgoose Esq, Wigglesworth, J.F. Abraham and Mr B all have white suits and ties with the exception of J. Willgoose Esq who has a white dickey bow to go with his white suit and all looking very smart. Its straight into “The Visitor” and from the offset we all know we are in for a visual treat as well as sound treat. The audio visuals are amazing behind the band, retro in parts, apt, and so fitting for the amazing full on sounds we are all listening to. Every tune is a full on assault of the senses in every way, sound and vision (Yup that’s why they set up their arrival with Bowie’s song)
The retro sound bites that usually accompany each tune just adds to the delight and enjoyment of the night.
This band just exceed expectations and if I’m totally honest are a band that just must be seen live to gain the full experience of “Public Service Broadcasting”. Stand out tracks tonight (although it’s hard to pick because they were all bloody amazing) for me would be “Der Rhythmus Der Maschines”, “White Star Liner”, “Spitfire” and “Everest”
Well what a night and what an assault on the senses, “Public Service Broadcasting” are the British Kraftwerk, amazing evening which in their own word and their mantra did without doubt “Inform – Educate-Entertain” in a most enjoyable way.
SET LIST
1/ The Visitor
2/ Im Licht
3/ Der Rhythmus Der Maschinen
4/ The Pit
5/ Progress
6/ Sputnik
7/ Korolev
8/ White Star Liner
9/ Gib Mir Das Licht
10/ Blue Heaven
11/ Lichtspiel II: Schwarz Weiss Grau
12/ Lichtspiel III: Symphonie Diagonale
13/ Spitfire
14/ All Out
15/ The Other Side
16/ Go!
Encore:
17/ People, Let’s Dance
18/ Gagarin
19/ Everest
FOLLOW PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
FOLLOW PALE BLUE EYES
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
