Souvaris

Set amongst the incongruous environs of Manchester’s curry mile, Saki Bar in Manchester is the new DIY venue of choice which means there’s no stage, no in-house PA and no pretensions, All in all, it’s a perfect setting for two bands who, despite residing in different countries, bring with them a very large, heavy canvas of instrumental confusion and beauty.

The fact that Nottingham’s Souvaris (pictured) seem to have been on the Tour from Hell (broken vans, broken amps, broken spirits) has only made them that little bit more resilient and determined. With a three-song set, the five-piece set about what could be superficially termed as post-rock but there’s a musicianship at play here that suggests these boys have spent many, many hours, weeks and years (seven, approximately) sweating out these intricate compositions.

Without a vocalist, it feels as though it’s during the heavier, harsher moments that the band are able to express more of a connection with the audience and lose themselves inside the music. When it’s time to ramp up the distortion, guitarists Dan and David literally make the laminate floor quake underneath the thud of their pogoing and stomping.

There isn’t a single member of the band who acts as the visual focus. Instead, it’s a directing nod from the wonderfully mustachioed keyboardist Simmo or the intricacy of Dan’s guitar part that holds a section of the song. Closing with the epic ‘Quit Touching My Ass’, it seems a sense of relief takes hold as David loses himself in some true rock posturing, clearly thankful that for one night at least, they’ve made it through a gig without anything falling apart.

Bordeaux math-rock power trio Sincabeza are Souvaris’ touring partners and they instantly command the respect of the audience thanks to their mesmerizing, loose-limbed drummer, David Loquier. Not only does he provide the flow of dynamics and hold the majority of the audience’s attention, but he also manages to operate a moog synth whilst keeping off-beat time signatures.

Anchored by shy guitarist/keyboardist Philippe Rey and bassist Eric Camara, the three-piece effortlessly run through songs that fail to sit still - constantly shifting time and mood - twisting through guitar loops and deep, melodic basslines. They remind me of Italian trio Zu, due to their ability to blend jarring rhythms and melody. During their final song, a fourth member appears wielding a Black and Decker drill and a guitar stripped of half of its strings. Flailing around the stage, the band rip out their last shreds of energy in their most ferocious song. Sincabeza are a captivating prospect, for sure, but not one that you’d wish to have playing in your living room.