The grimy, secluded surroundings of The Star and Garter seemed to be the perfect place for Gold Class to arrive for their stopover in Manchester, as part of their larger European tour. Like the venue itself, Gold Class seem to combine the dual characteristics of being rough around the edges, yet genuinely classy, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The band’s opening act The Bodies threw down the gauntlet early on. Blasting through a set of furious magnitude, the band were a tasteful throwback to the wild punk-rock attitudes of the late 70s. They were fierce, loud and very enjoyable.
Gold Class were more refined and collected by comparison, channelling an urgent, confident set that impressed the gathered crowd, despite the occasional moment of deja-vu when it came to song arrangements. Their latest track Kids On Fire was the real standout of the evening; it visibly blew the audience away, much as it did me when I had heard it initially.
Overall, the two bands brought their A-game, but were ultimately at the mercy of a quiet Monday night in a somewhat out-of-the-way venue. Should either one of them return to a venue cocooned better by the historic surroundings of the Northern Quarter for example, I can safely say that their stagecraft would have been far more richly appreciated.
Gold Class and The Bodies play The Victoria in London tonight. Gold Class continue on their European tour, culminating in Bologna on 5th November.
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