The room is maybe a third full as The Temperance Movement start, though this quickly rises through their set. I’ve been intrigued to how good they will sound live, liking their stuff but not having previously caught them in a concert setting before and I’m pleased by how easy they make their laid back blues rock sound at this gig, with the quantity of people in at this time a good mark of respect, having seen similar sized bands struggle for one-hundred or so in this large room, one of the larger available in Manchester. The sound is good, if a touch quiet, meaning the emphasis is on clarity rather than loudness, something a number of bands I’ve seen previously in this venue fall victim to. There’s a decent level of applause for them throughout as the room approaches two thirds full, just as we get to the midpoint of their set. As the crowd grows further still, the band continue to please, with the movement of people dancing, combined with the now usual phones recording being the proof of the pudding. A strong showing from the evening’s upstarts, giving the Blue Oyster Cult a pretty high bar to hit. Continue reading →