STEPPING downstairs into Cluny 2 is a bit like stepping into a holistic cavern, a dark but homely venue that, on this evening, reverberates with wall-to-wall intensity.
The Chapman Family's live shows are built on a staple diet of destruction, anger and huge servings of volume. This one proves to be no different.
Teesside's finest ensure 2012's Cruel Britannia is given a fair hearing, and also treat those gathered to a glimpse of what the next Chapman offering has in store.
No More Tears encapsulates the band's recent shift in style – the old fire-brand sound is still intact but there's more than a tinge of The Horrors and their shoe-gazing efforts.
The wistful, winding Summer Song disperses with all the ferocity of a Teesside blast furnace, while latest single Adult – with its chorus of “I need to be alone” – portrays a band well-rooted in the relatively remote North East.
Anxiety dips into the quintet's back catalogue and is delivered with force. Lead singer Kingsley Chapman roars into Something I Can't Get Out that feels like stepping into the eye of a storm.
Nostalgia comes in the shape of Kids, the band's second single from 2009, and provides a pertinent reminder of the chaotic sound they can bring to the table.
Chapman said recently that the band were looking for appreciation on Tyneside. They can call off the search.
Jamie Durent
