To many aficionados of all things indie, Adam Granduciel and his band, The War on Drugs were their well kept secret. Not any more.
It’s clear, on this, the second of 2 sold out shows in Edinburgh that the cat is well and truly out of the bag and strutting its stuff along Princes Street with a flashing collar and bells on.
If you were ever to create a compendium of everything that is great about classic American rock then, despite their newcomer status, The War on Drugs should have a starring role. Their sound is a melting pot of all the key players – Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Springsteen, Clapton, The Eagles… you get the picture. Their repertoire might not be filled with tales of life on the road as you cross the vast vistas of the continent, it’s very much the opposite – 2014’s breakthrough album, Lost in a Dream goes to some pretty dark places as Granduciel unleashed his personal demons in the aftermath of a relationship that had gone south. What they have is a sound that oozes quality. For the listener, each track has hidden depths that gifts you little treasures on every play. It’s widescreen in scale and perfectly crafted to fill some of the world’s finest arenas with ease.
They’re here off the back of a sell out show at Madison Square Garden which showcased lighting and production values that match the music to perfection. So we can certainly count ourselves lucky to be seeing the show in the intimate surroundings of this former Corn Exchange in Edinburgh’s western suburbs.
The band themselves are by and large the supporting cast behind Granduciel. That’s not to demean their contribution in any way, they are what makes The War on Drugs such an immersive experience. Visually very little happens on stage, the band are static. Only Granduciel is animated as he lurches back and forth between visits to his vast pedal board in a manner very reminiscent of the afore mentioned Neil Young. It’s the music that draws you in.
Things start with the slow burning Old Skin which builds to the first of many euphoric musical climaxes the audience will experience during tonight’s set. An Ocean in Between the Waves, surely one of the band’s standout tracks is Granduciel’s first chance to go freestyle on lead guitar, adding another layer of feedback laden magic over the uplifting crescendo as it heads for the stratosphere. It really does send shivers down your spine.
The majority of the set is lifted from the last three LPs, only Come to the City makes the cut from 2011’s Slave Ambient and as the current release, tracks from I Don’t Live here Anymore take up the lions share of the set. The newer tracks keep the momentum going. Harmonia’s Dream wrapping the whole audience up in a wave of pulsing light driven by the chiming keyboards of Robbie Bennett.
Under The Pressure does just that, building the anticipation in the audience to bursting point, when the middle eight tempo change kicks in the whole hall bounces into action, chanting along to the signature keyboard motif in unison. With the light show kicking in at the same time it’s a perfect moment.
An encore of The Waterboy’s Pagan Place is given a rapturous homecoming welcome before closing track, Thinking of a Place brings an evening that will live long in the memory to a close in a blizzard of light and beautifully controlled feedback.
Words: Rob Alexander
Pictures: Calum Mackintosh @ayecandyphotography