Midlake concert at Club Academy in Manchester, UK
Tue, 13 Jun 2023

This was the first time I had seen Midlake - they were somehow lost in my most recent batch of years of wilderness and avoidance of well-evidenced opportunities of joy. I had a tiny cut out from a newspaper recommending one album - probably Van Occupanther - that was there to remind me to buy it but I never did. Now that I'd fully submerged myself in the sounds of this band, I was extremely interested to see them play what I believed would be a most-recent-album-focused set (Bethel Woods). Which would have been fine by me - I am an album listener after all. Once on, they were instantly sublime and remained so for the duration. The time I have to write this doesn't really allow me to do credit to what went on - Eric spoke amusingly of his previous night in Manchester and movingly of a piece of music written for drummer McKenzie's son, for example - there was much more. I was so over-stimulated by the occasion (as is my wont) that I spent 10 minutes arguing with their tour bus security about getting my t-shirt signed by the band, while my partner was inside the venue rather sensibly just talking to them, and getting two t-shirts signed. Amazing gig, and I would gladly travel much further to see them. Having said that, I do hope they will visit and play in Liverpool one day. Thanks, Midlake. You're a very special band.