It is not often that I take an absolutely random punt and book gig tickets for a band that I know nothing about. But the gig was reasonably priced and it sounded fun so… along I went. I also had an ulterior motive. It was the other half’s birthday and he adores live music. I wanted him to be able to see some live music on his birthday. Do you know how hard it is to find a gig on a Monday evening?
Death and Vanilla were formed ten years after they formed in Malmö, Sweden, and they are returning with a new album, ‘Flicker’, set for release in Spring 2023 on Fire Records. Utilising vintage musical equipment such as vibraphone, organ, mellotron, tremolo guitar and moog, Death and Vanilla’s music unites the sounds of 60s/70s soundtracks, library music, German Krautrock, French Ye-ye pop and psych. They revel in the warmth of older analogue instruments to create a more organic sound, each loose wire and off-kilter noise adding to the rich atmosphere.
Now that’s not exactly my cup of tea, but in the spirit of adventure, I went along to the Blue Moon in Cambridge to see them. To me, their gig was more something that I’d have on in the background. More soundscape than something than I usually listen to. They were very good at what they did, I’m just not entirely sure that it was for me.
It was also my first time to the gig half of The Blue Moon in Cambridge. It reminded me of a very small version of the Brudnell Club in Leeds.
I’d definitely be back to watch a different gig.
