The Megaphonic Thrift, Ruby Lounge, Manchester

It’s difficult to know what exactly you’re supposed to do as a member of an audience little over twenty-strong. Particularly when the handful of people inside looking to see the headlining act have come to hear the sound of frenetic, grungy post-punk indie.

Hardly the kind of noises that befit an empty room filled with stationary figures. But then this is music, and the show must go on, as they say. Hats off to the Scandinavians in question then for deciding to launch into things with all the volume and wall of sound edginess we hoped for, albeit with slightly less stage time involved.

Few can fault The Megaphonic Thrift for wanting to get through things with a little more haste, given the circumstances. Especially when the band still allowed enough space for the kind of organic progression to occur that sets their two albums apart from many counterparts. Harsh chords pile on top of runaway rhythms, with pedals, for the most part anyway, firmly pressed towards the floor.

Early fare such as ‘Talks Like A Weed King’ and ‘Candy Sin’ are just as powerful and rebellious as they sound on LP one, ‘Decay Decoy’, with the latter helping at least one enthusiastic punter to find his dancing shoes. In contrast the outfit’s second, eponymous long-player (the reason for this current tour) offers slightly cleaner melodies, though it’s important to understand these harmonies are again heard through the twisted lunacy of scuzzy guitars and scratched vocals.

In this instance work like ‘Fire Walk With Everyone’ and ‘The Guillotine’ would have certainly found more of a footing with more heads present, but then there’s really no use crying over spilt milk. As such let’s just say that, by focusing on the stage as oppose to surrounds, there was still plenty of lift and build towards the final, dramatic furlong. In short, a quality live sound that only serves to prove why promoting anything on a Sunday is a rather ambitious idea.