Liverpool’s Academy 2 may be one of the city’s smaller live music venues, but the building itself has no shortage of history. Long before amplifiers and stage lights arrived, the nineteenth century warehouse had served a variety of purposes, including periods as a furniture maker’s premises, a pet shop and even a horse market. The building was eventually converted into a live music venue called L2 in 2000, hosting early appearances from future stadium filling acts including Amy Winehouse, Muse and Coldplay before reopening in its current guise a few years later. There is something fitting about a venue with such a varied past hosting an evening centred around two bands whose reputations have been built the old fashioned way. No shortcuts, no gimmicks and no reliance on huge productions. Just relentless touring, exceptional musicianship and an ability to connect with audiences wherever they happen to be playing.
The area around the barrier felt almost as familiar as the bands themselves. A number of photographers I’d met earlier in the year and/or several events prior were already in position in the pit, swapping stories and catching up before the action started. There is a comforting predictability to these “fellow ‘tog” encounters. Somebody is always carrying enough camera equipment to pictorially document the invasion of a small country, somebody is always discussing a lens that costs more than a decent used car, and somebody is always claiming they are cutting back on gigs despite having been spotted at three venues the previous week. On reflection, tonight I may have personally accounted for at least two of those topics. The faces on the barrier are becoming as familiar as those on stage, and I love being invited into conversations about previous tours, favourite albums and wildly optimistic setlist predictions that pass the time before the lights dimmed. It is one of the things I love most about this scene, because the sense of community feels really genuine and heartfelt. The bands recognise the people on the barrier, the fans recognise photographers and each other from previous tours or different gigs and the photographers catch up like old friends who somehow haven’t managed to see each other since last weekend. What’s not to love?
Having already seen both bands earlier this year, tonight offered an interesting point of comparison. These Wicked Rivers had previously impressed on a festival stage at Firevolt early August, whilst Robert Jon & The Wreck delivered a memorable performance at Manchester’s Academy 2 back in April. Both performances took place on significantly larger stages than Academy 2 Liverpool. It was only on the drive back towards Lancashire that the significance of that really struck me. Earlier in the year I’d watched both bands perform in much larger surroundings, yet by the end of the evening in Liverpool it became clear that neither measures a performance by the size of the room, but by the connection they create with the crowd. The venue may change, the stage may change and the audience numbers may vary, but the approach remains exactly the same.
Opening duties fell to These Wicked Rivers, who continue to establish themselves as one of the most captivating live acts on the UK rock circuit. Seeing them again inevitably brought back memories of Firevolt in August, where the band had gone to unusual lengths to create a genuine atmosphere, even strategically placing lamps within the audience area before the crowd arrived. It was a small detail at the time, but one that revealed a great deal about how the band approach live performance. Frontman and guitarist Arran Day once again proved impossible to ignore. His now trademark high kicks appear to have achieved almost legendary status among the band’s growing fanbase, arriving throughout the set with impeccable timing and seemingly effortless athleticism. By now, Arran’s high kicks must have put forward a compelling case for their own social media account, fan club and merch. Equally memorable was the imposing twin neck guitar that has become an integral part of his stage presence. I cannot remember seeing anyone look quite so comfortable with a twin neck guitar since I watched a VHS cassette of Led Zeppelin live at a mate’s house back in the 80s. For most players it appears to be an unwieldy beast, just as much an upper body workout as it is an instrument, yet Arran appears to treat it as an extension of himself, moving seamlessly between both necks while making something so inherently extravagant appear completely natural. Adorned with matching peace symbols on both headstocks, the instrument looks every bit the statement piece, yet never felt like a gimmick or distraction from the music itself. Despite possessing all the visual ingredients required to dominate a stage, These Wicked Rivers remain firmly rooted in substance. The musicianship throughout was exceptional, the interplay between band members and audience effortless and, most importantly, every person in the room felt included in the performance. The packed Merseyside venue responded in kind.
By the time Robert Jon & The Wreck took the stage, the atmosphere had already been established. Having seen the Californian outfit earlier in the year at Manchester’s Academy 2, I arrived wondering whether the reduced surroundings might alter the experience but I’d no need to spend any time in contemplation. The answer arrived almost immediately. Not only did the performance retain the same energy and confidence, there were moments where the intimacy of Academy 2 arguably enhanced it. The barriers between audience and performer felt virtually non existent, with the band’s natural charisma creating a sense of involvement from the opening song onwards.
One thing that has become increasingly apparent from seeing Robert Jon & The Wreck multiple times is their remarkable consistency. The room may change, the stage may change and the crowd size may fluctuate, but the performance rarely seems to waver. There is a confidence about the band that stems not from arrogance but experience. Every member understands exactly what their role is, yet what impressed me was the interaction. Much like These Wicked Rivers before them, Robert Jon & The Wreck never treated the audience as passive observers. The connection between band and crowd felt genuine from the outset, creating those moments of shared enjoyment that often become the lasting memories of a gig long after individual songs have faded from memory.
It was here that the evening’s central theme became impossible to ignore. Earlier in the year I had watched These Wicked Rivers hold the attention of a packed Firevolt crowd. At any festival, every band is competing with something. The bar. The food vendors. The merch stalls. Those “festival mates” you only ever see a couple of times a year have just arrived etc – You know what it’s like. Yet These Wicked Rivers managed to create the kind of atmosphere that stopped people in their tracks and made them look and listen. I had also watched Robert Jon & The Wreck command the larger surroundings of Manchester’s Academy 2. The stage was larger, the production was bigger and there was more distance between the band and the audience, yet they somehow managed to shrink it all through sheer force of personality. The same easy rapport, the same obvious enjoyment and the same effortless connection were all present tonight in Liverpool.
Great live bands do not simply perform to those already paying attention. They earn attention. They create an atmosphere, establish a connection and make every audience member feel part of the experience, and as a photographer I have often maintained that the very best performers create moments rather than leaving photographers to hunt around searching for them. Looking around the pit throughout the evening, there were very few idle cameras. These Wicked Rivers understand that instinctively. Whether it is Arran Day launching into one of his trademark high kicks, wielding his now familiar twin neck guitar, or the subtle interactions between band members throughout the set, there is always something happening. The photographs almost present themselves. It is no coincidence that the same qualities making the band enjoyable to photograph are also the qualities making them such a compelling live act.
Robert Jon & The Wreck operate in very much the same way. There is always a smile, a glance towards the crowd, a shared moment between musicians or an interaction with the audience. These are the details that transform a performance into an experience. They are also the moments people remember on the drive home.
The venue may have been smaller than the stages I had previously seen both bands occupy, but the performances certainly weren’t. They weren’t playing to the room, but the crowd.
