I am ashamed to admit that I
have lived in Winterthur for six years now and last night was the first time I
entered the Hallowed Grail that is the Albani Music Club.
However, I am very happy that
my first experience of Albani was at yesterday’s Ider gig. We were gutted to only
catch the end of Ider at last year’s Winterthur Music Festival when we arrived
to see Metronomy. We loved what we saw so I was thrilled to see them return for
another gig last night as part of their debut tour to promote their first album
Emotional Education.
My husband and I were pretty early
to arrive so settled into some comfy armchairs in the mezzanine and had a
pretty spectacular vantage point of the stage below.The atmosphere was buzzing.
A DJ was playing all our favourite tunes – from Soft Cell to Jet - and the Albani
acoustics are top notch – not too loud but with the most amazing bass line
which boomed its way into our heart and soul. The backdrop was set wonderfully
and when Ider came on they did not disappoint.
An hour and a bit of sublime pleasure
followed listening to the breathtaking harmony of the two girls, Meghan Markwick
and Lily Somerville. Highlights were provided by Brown Sugar with its resounding heartbeat and dreamy chorus and You’ve got your whole life ahead of you,
with its moody resonance. A cameo appearance of my personal favourite Pulse was received by an appreciative
crowd with its sensual beat and breathlessly spine-tingling lyrics and we were
treated to a sensational capella section at the end of Baby Love when the girls faced each other in a physical evocation
of the magical connection that has produced such an original and beautiful
sound.
It was emotional - like a big
warm musical hug - and an education – I cannot recall ever hearing harmonies so
exquisite. Believe it when I say Ider are on a one way rocket trip to an
illustrious future – and Albani Music Club provided them with a leg up of acoustic
magnificence.
