Launching their brand new album, ‘What Nature Gives/Nature Takes Way’, dark noise post-punk band The Membranes followed up their comeback show last year at Islington Assembly Hall, when they performed with a live backing choir.
This time playing without the choir who recorded with the band on the new record, bass player and frontman John Robb started the night with The Membranes’ previous album, ‘Dark Matter/Dark Energy’, ‘Dark Energy’ featuring screeching guitar and Robb’s trademark loose basslines. Then the-one-and-only Jordan joined them onstage, reading out a long allegorical narrative while the band held a steady bassline and created noisy guitar effects.
The Membranes then played from their current album, performing new single ‘Black Is The Colour’ and flagship track ‘What Nature Gives/Nature Takes Away’. They ended their typically short set on ‘Myths And Legends’ and 1984 single ‘Spike Milligan’s Tape Recorder’, unusually finishing their encore on new track, ‘A Murder Of Crows’.
27/09/19: The Membranes @ The 100 Club, London.
Photos © E. Gabriel Edvy/Blackswitch Labs.
© Ayisha Khan