Page 46 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

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HANDS LIKE HOUSES / NORMANDIE / JULE VERA – BIRMINGHAM ASYLUM, 20.10.18
We’re lucky that Hands Like Houses made it to Birmingham. While on the other side of the world to growing crowds. The five-piece from Can-
driving down from Glasgow, the band got pulled over by the police and berra choose to start their set with a song from their 2016 ‘Dissonants’ re-
were told their vehicle was carrying too much weight. It caused problems lease, ‘New Romantics’. The band manage to sandwich sublime melodies
for the band, but after a fine and support band Jule Vera coming to their with dominant guitars and powerful drumming. You’d almost be forgiven
aid, they managed to all make it to the venue. in thinking the band was on a ‘Dissonants’ tour as ‘Colourblind’ and ‘Divi-
Jule Vera kick off the evening with their smooth and silky alt. pop. sion Symbols’, also from that album, are up next. It’s not until fourth song,
Frontwoman Ansley Newman has gorgeous vocals, and, while songs such ‘Tilt’, that we get a taster of the new album, ‘-Anon’. Songs like ‘Tilt’ and
as ’10,000 Hours’ are slightly on the mellow side, they will appeal to many. ‘Sick’, also from the new album, pack a punch live, ‘Tilt’ particularly see-
Fans of PVRIS and recent Paramore will find the band particularly entic- sawing between abrasiveness and harmony. Old school fans are treated
ing, especially through songs such as ‘Show Me’ and ‘Bad Company’, to ‘Introduced Species’, ‘A Tale Of Outer Suburbia’ and ‘No Parallels’, from
which have an electro-dance element. Ansley plays a ukulele during the band’s 2013-released ‘Unimagine’ album, the latter pouring emotion
‘Porch Swing’, a more acoustic-sounding indie number, which sees her with its key ‘this is happiness’ line. Although Trenton Woodley’s vocals
singing about life like a nostalgic storyteller. With their radio-friendly pop don’t sound quite as refined as on disc, the song still sounds glorious.
vibes, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Alabama band take over the air- After ‘I Am’, Trenton tells the crowd that it’s no wonder the venue is named
waves in the next few years. Ansley, herself, has the talent to rival the The Asylum, “You guys are mental”. New single ‘Monster’ is kept towards
likes of Taylor Swift and co. the end of the set and is arguably one of the best songs of the night with
Turning things up a notch, Normandie bring powerful dynamics to the its dancier beat. With the final song of the evening being ‘Drift’, tonight
Asylum stage. Coming across heavier live than on disc is no bad thing as WAS happiness – and we all drifted off into the night with hearts on fire.
they instantly win the crowd with the energy in songs such as ‘Pay For YYYYY
This’ and ‘Enough’. The audience obliges when frontman Philip Strand Shari Black Velvet
asks everyone to crouch down on the floor before jumping back up. The
title track of new album ‘White Flag’ is another victory for the band, while Trenton Woodley (Hands Like Houses) Photo By Shari Black Velvet
‘Collide’ rounds off Normandie’s set like a set of exciting fireworks, full of
sonic sparks and exhilarating electrics. There’s even one girl on a guy’s
shoulders – yes, they really were that good.
Now, with their fourth album under their belts, Hands Like Houses are
one of those bands that gets out on the road and tours like their life de-
pends on it. We’ve seen them supporting various bands over the last few
years and every time have been impressed. Other members of the audi-
ence were too and now they can afford to play their own headline shows

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