Spector Play A Tight Set In Bristol

We arrived at Thekla just in time for the start of support act Spring King. This was my first time at the unique venue – consisting of an old cargo ship turned into a music club. As their song City was played by Zane Lowe as the very first song on his inaugural Beats 1 show, it seems like big things are in store for Spring King. Their set got the crowd riled up with an exciting collection of indie punk songs – Mumma and Better Man were highlights, and their drummer-lead singer was an impressively dynamic frontman.

What was immediately clear about the sell-out crowd in this fantastic venue was that this was not a collection of casual fans. From the very start of Spector’s first song of the set – Lately It’s You (hardly their most memorable number), they seemed to know every single lyric, and the atmosphere was electric. The band’s new material went down a storm and set very well alongside classics from their first album. Spector swiftly moved from latest single Stay High into the quick succession of Celestine and Friday Night, and following this even songs which didn’t stick in the mind from Moth Boys Like West End and Decade Of Decay seemed to sound invigorated in a live setting.

The set was well constructed, especially in the placement of Chevy Thunder directly after the slower disco vibes of Cocktail Party – which caused pandemonium on the floor. The latter showcased Freddie Macpherson’s impressive vocal ability, which really felt like the driving force behind the band on the night. Personality-wise the long haired crooner is undoubtedly the attraction for many fans – his classically cool persona embodies everything which is slightly retro about Spector. Another highlight was Never Fade Away, a real ‘lighters in the air’ song which the frontman let the crowd sing acapella for around half a minute before kicking it off himself. The rapturous reception that the audience gave the set closer All The Sad Young Men goes to show that Spector have built a solidly loyal fan base, and have added to it considerably with the darker sounds of their second album.

A highly enjoyable and accomplished performance, be sure to check out Spector the next time they are on tour in your area.