The Delta Spirit Live at the ICA
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And so the ongoing quest for reasonably priced live music brought me to the ICA on the Mall to see San Diego alt-rock quintet, Delta Spirit, for the bargain price of just £8.50. And what a fantastic treat it was too.
Now, the Institute of Contemporary Arts might not seem like an obvious place for live music but, if you have a quick glance at the forthcoming events you'll see a really well-thought-out music programme mostly consisting of up and coming artists who are quite often tipped for 'bigger things' and a ticket price that is usually very reasonable.
The venue itself, and particularly the bar area, has a distinct art college feel to it. The drinks seem reasonably priced and you can also get food, but tables to sit at seem a bit short on supply. The gigs take place in The Theatre, a nice-sized square shaped room (standing-only, no seats) with a large stage. The PA system here does pump it out, so it can be a bit loud when the bands really get going. Acoustically I don't think it favours vocals, and I think the sound engineers could do a bit more work on getting a better balance.
The support band were eager indie-rockers, Ten Bears, from Manchester, who drew an enthusiastic response from a small number of fans, but were met with a bit of disinterest from the rest of the audience.
Then Delta Spirit took the stage, all the way from California, and now in the second month of their European tour. In the States, this band have been tipped for big things and have even been described as possibly "one of the most important new bands of the decade", but so far over here, no one seems to have taken much notice. So, while playing to large crowds all across America - opening for bands such Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - the attendances at the gigs in Manchester, Dublin, etc. have been much smaller. (I think the singer said they recently played a gig to nine people.)
Anyway, they hit the ground running, although slightly hampered by the sound system with its tendency to swamp the vocals. The songs from their debut album, Ode to Sunshine, were delivered in a punchy no-nonsense style. Although, it's a bit tricky to describe Delta Spirit's musical style, it's "loose blues-rock Americana" according to the Independent. So there you go.
And then the set finished and they were gone, a shame really as I could have easily listened to a few more songs. With performances like this I’m sure it won’t be too long before their extensive touring is rewarded with larger audiences.
I would highly recommend going to a gig the ICA. It really is a good place to see a band. We can’t let those art students have it all to themselves - it’s too good for that.
And, I'm off to the music shop to buy Delta Spirit's album...
The venue itself, and particularly the bar area, has a distinct art college feel to it. The drinks seem reasonably priced and you can also get food, but tables to sit at seem a bit short on supply. The gigs take place in The Theatre, a nice-sized square shaped room (standing-only, no seats) with a large stage. The PA system here does pump it out, so it can be a bit loud when the bands really get going. Acoustically I don't think it favours vocals, and I think the sound engineers could do a bit more work on getting a better balance.
The support band were eager indie-rockers, Ten Bears, from Manchester, who drew an enthusiastic response from a small number of fans, but were met with a bit of disinterest from the rest of the audience.
Then Delta Spirit took the stage, all the way from California, and now in the second month of their European tour. In the States, this band have been tipped for big things and have even been described as possibly "one of the most important new bands of the decade", but so far over here, no one seems to have taken much notice. So, while playing to large crowds all across America - opening for bands such Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - the attendances at the gigs in Manchester, Dublin, etc. have been much smaller. (I think the singer said they recently played a gig to nine people.)
Anyway, they hit the ground running, although slightly hampered by the sound system with its tendency to swamp the vocals. The songs from their debut album, Ode to Sunshine, were delivered in a punchy no-nonsense style. Although, it's a bit tricky to describe Delta Spirit's musical style, it's "loose blues-rock Americana" according to the Independent. So there you go.
And then the set finished and they were gone, a shame really as I could have easily listened to a few more songs. With performances like this I’m sure it won’t be too long before their extensive touring is rewarded with larger audiences.
I would highly recommend going to a gig the ICA. It really is a good place to see a band. We can’t let those art students have it all to themselves - it’s too good for that.
And, I'm off to the music shop to buy Delta Spirit's album...
Here Is The Writer : Lucho Payne
Lucho Payne works at UBS as an IT Consultant, and has spent the last eight years working in banking and investment management in The City. He regularly attends gigs and concerts, and his favourite venues are the Astoria, Borderline and the 100 Club. He occasionally plays guitar at various venues around town as one half of the acoustic duo "Fagan and Payne".
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