The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

It’s not often, well never up until now actually, that I will review a support band at the expense of the main act. In this case though, the support band are so good that they deserve all the plaudits, especially when they support a band that has received more of their own than they deserve. Of course around 2,000 fellow attendees would more than likely disagree with me, and judging the books by the cover of some of them, they would probably punch me square in the face for offering such an opinion. Outside of Manchester Academy this evening though, there will be many people who share my view on Editors, and judging by tonight’s performance by opening act The Joy Formidable, there may well soon be even more who share my opinion on them.

Sadly being the first of two support acts means that The Joy Formidable don’t get enough time to play anything new for the converted, but it’s always a treat to hear songs such as opener ‘The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade,’ ‘Austere’ and ‘Cradle’ from their debut mini-album, “A Balloon Called Moaning,” and they clearly work their charms on the eager early-bird Editors fans. Drummer Matt Thomas is still a joy to behold; a force of nature that is as wild as his hair, and the power that all three of them produce is mightily impressive. This is a band who love what they do; looking particularly excited this evening with guitarist / vocalist Ritzy Bryan as winsome as ever when addressing the crowd, and both her and bassist Rhydian Dafydd engaging in some playful shenanigans as they tried to disrupt each others’ playing during one song.

They were in the zone tonight though, and nothing could stop them impressing a new set of fans, not to mention re-enforcing the love of those who came to see their ‘main act.’ And it’s a zone that is almost impossible not to join them in, as the huge walls of sound produced by Bryan and Dafydd entrance you and hold you under their spell. The Joy Formidable are a band that does not facilitate toilet breaks, nor do they write anything approaching pedestrian; every single song is one worth savouring. How the songs on their debut full length album will compare is as yet unknown, but tonight they showed many and reminded a few just what they have to live up to.

Set List:

The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade
Cradle
The Last Drop
Ostrich
Austere
Anemone
Whirring

Re: The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

A great band, I'm sure they will live up to our expectations come the album. Nice one

Re: The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

Of course I wholeheartedly agree with this review.
I know I'm biased but I saw 5 bands that night, most of them pretty darn good actually, but I still know which one made the loveliest noise. From where you were, could you see how they did with the audience? It seemed to me that they started off playing to a few rows and by the time they had finished they had the attention of maybe 15 rows back? Or is my enthusiasm getting the better of me?

Re: The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

Nice work Mike, your becoming a fellow TJF groupie.

Re: The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

I didn't know you were one yourself?

Re: The Joy Formidable [Live] @ Manchester Academy
 

Yeah that's pretty much how it was. Being on at 7:45 at a venue like that, it was always going to be a bit empty at the start, but by the end there were quite a lot there. Everyone around me looked mightily impressed.