REVIEW: Jagwar Ma at Gorilla, Manchester

AHEAD of their new album, Jagwar Ma brought their anthemic psych tunes to Gorilla last night (May 26). Quays News entertainment reporter Alfie Verity went along…

The night opened with a set from DJ HAAi, whose tropical mix aptly set the tone for Jagwar Ma’s performance. DJ HAAi’s set was not too dissimilar from that of contemporary DJ’s like Jamie xx, with her mix often featuring up-tempo beats and steel drum sounds.

DJ HAAi did not often interact with the crowd for it was unnecessary, her selection of music spoke for itself and succeeded in its purpose for a DJ set – providing an electric atmosphere prior to Jagwar Ma’s set. Her skill as a DJ showed, seamlessly transitioning between songs, and this was reflected in her confident demeanour.

Jagwar Ma’s presence in the psychedelic rock genre often places them in competition with similar psych bands, like the funky warmth of Django Django or the electric brilliance of Tame Impala – whom Jagwar Ma recently supported on tour. Jagwar Ma’s set, then, aims to demonstrate their ability to stand alone in the genre, that they have a certain individuality and skill that sets them apart from the rest. This goal was easily achieved with their set at Gorilla.

The Sydney-based three piece are often categorized as psychedelic rock, but their set at Gorilla in fact presents them as more of a dance band.

The band performed an extended, buoyant version of one of their biggest hits, ‘Come Save Me’, segueing into ‘Four’, one of the band’s more synth-led, danceable songs. This mix caused a certain electricity among the crowd, with the band intentionally forming a set-list aimed towards generating an energetic atmosphere.

At times the performance suitably raised ideas of Madchester, and the eclectic mix of genres and influences worked to create a satisfying set. The show was constantly fun and goofy, with lead vocalist Gabriel Winterfeld at one point wearing an audience member’s ‘Wayne’s World’ hat and joking “party on Wayne!”.

The crowd was in perfect sync with Jagwar Ma, bouncing lively throughout with members often crowd-surfing along to the bands signature tracks including their encore performance of ‘What Love’. As the band’s debut album title ‘Howlin’’ suggests, the band is loud and wild, qualities both demonstrated on stage.

@jagwarma brilliant @thisisgorilla #jagwarma much more danceable live than on record. 80’s Madchester feel at times, seems appropriate. @trix9182 #manchester #live #gig

A photo posted by twistoteck (@twistoteck) on May 26, 2016 at 4:25pm PDT

Highlights of the set came from Jagwar Ma’s performance of new material from their upcoming album. Continuing the momentum of their performance of ‘Uncertainty’, Jagwar Ma’s exhibition of a new track evidenced the band’s vast potential. The track seemed a stormy mix of CHVRCHES and The Stone Roses, an unconventional combination that worked with aplomb.

The song offered a noticeable contrast sonically to the rest of the set and was arguably the most energetic moment, which exemplifies Jagwar Ma’s penchant for experimentation and the exciting new avenues they will explore on their upcoming releases. If ‘Howlin’’ was the band dipping their toes into the world of psych rock, their next album will be them diving in head first.

The only criticism that could be levelled at Jagwar Ma is the short length of their set, but this complaint is permissible – regardless of the length, the band still satisfied the audience’s desire for a fun, animated gig (evidenced by the constant chants of “Jagwar Ma! Jagwar Ma!” from the crowd). Moreover, despite the seemingly short length, the band seemed to comprehensively cover the apices of their current discography.

The gig perfectly captured the radiant joy of their debut album, and Jagwar Ma’s effortless ability to produce endearing psych-rock pop separates them from the bands they are seemingly influenced by, and their showcase of experimental new tracks proves this is an act ready to reach the lofty heights of their contemporaries.