Greta Van Fleet | Mt Pleasure | Hannah Wicklund
Manchester A O Area
nineteenth November 2023

As Greta Van Fleet contact down in Manchester on their Starchaser tour, Louder Than Conflict heads by their time portal to attempt to make sense of all of it.

Outdoors, it’s darkish, it’s drab, it’s raining, it’s Manchester, and it’s 2023. Music’s measured in TikTok soundbites and the voice reigns supreme in a world of karaoke singers backed by pre-recorded sounds. Step contained in the A O Area and 1973 is heading for 1974. Bowie and Bolan have given us glam and glitter whereas prog and onerous rock behemoths roam the land. Greta Van Fleet step into this world and I ponder, can they actually convey us again into the twenty-first century?

First act Hannah Wicklund units the tone. Uncooked blues-infused rock, with a method and gown sense straight out of the early 1970’s. She’s acquired an amazing voice with actual vary and energy. Second monitor Cover and Search reveals extra; she’s fairly a guitarist too. The slower blues vibe of Strawberry Moon slows issues briefly earlier than Bomb By the Breeze closes on a excessive. Her set’s very quick at 20 minutes it’s however greater than sufficient to impress.

First impressions could be deceiving. Mt Pleasure open with the indie guitar-infused Evergreen; it’s nearly poppy. The eponymous Mt Pleasure rapidly segues into The Grateful Useless’s Hearth On The Mountain; cue heads down prolonged guitar exercises with solely Jackie Miclan on keyboards showing to acknowledge our presence and have interaction with the group. From right here on it’s melodic indie guitar songs with closing monitor Silver Lining briefing echoing the roots rock of Counting Crows. Mt Pleasure are clearly gifted however this an introspective efficiency delivered in semi-darkness and I think largely misplaced within the cavernous A O Area.

An extended classical intro precedes Greta Van Fleet. Finally, the curtain falls, pyro erupts and our protagonists stand arms aloft absorbing the adulation. Sparks rain down from the sector roof because the band launch into the riff-laden, The Falling Sky. It’s a powerful begin; a press release of intent with wailing harmonica briefly buying and selling licks with spiralling guitar.

The Indigo Streak slows issues with its heavy guitar-laden riffs and Josh Kiszka’s vocals extra to the fore. After all, the guitar’s ever-present nevertheless it’s the seemingly relentless steamrolling rhythm that characterises most. It’s the second of seven tracks from the band’s present Starchaser album that can dominate tonight’s present.

Is it doable to overview Greta Van Fleet with out referencing that different band from half a century in the past? Nicely actually, no. Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer) simply oozes with the spirit of Led Zeppelin. Tonight’s twenty-minute exercise ebbs and flows with Jake Kiszka reaching guitar crescendo after crescendo as brother Josh wails and scats plant like round him. Does it work? Sure. Is it spectacular? Sure. Can you’ve an excessive amount of of a great factor? Nicely, generally sure. Lyrically too, there are echoes of Plant’s Tolkienesque hippy credentials. Might that be Excalibur looming giant on the backdrop and drums?

Freeway Tune takes us again to the band’s roots; direct abrasive rock n’ roll. It’s quick and candy however segues into the apparently compulsory drum solo. Does anybody actually respect a drum solo? Haven’t they at all times been a possibility for band and viewers to go to the john or purchase a beer? Nicely have a look and the 1000’s filling the sector flooring absorbing each minute of it and possibly it’s time to rethink.

Greta Van Fleet actually aren’t plagiarists. The riffs are undoubtedly their very own, however the Led Zeppelin reside template may be very a lot in proof. We’ve had the drum solo, so inevitably a mid-set acoustic interlude beckons. Sam strikes, John Paul Jones like from bass to keyboards whereas Josh mutters one thing about his voice and affected by bronchitis. It’s unclear what he’s implying however within the sequence that follows his supply comes throughout as a bit of too strident. The tempo of the 2 self-penned acoustic tracks appears a bit of rushed and there’s a sense that the music might do with extra space to breathe. There’s additionally a powerful, hovering cowl of The Righteous Brothers hit Unchained Melody.

They’re on safer floor again in full electrical mode they usually convey the set to a detailed with a trio of Starchaser tracks. Josh wanders stage entrance throughout Destiny Of The Religion’s prolonged keyboard intro throwing flowers to these inside attain. The response is overwhelming as children clamber and grasp for petals. And right here’s a shock. Tonight, this isn’t simply an viewers of ageing rock followers attempting to re-live their youth. Sure, there are many sexagenarians sat on the again however there’s a really completely different crowd down on the sector flooring. Most are of their twenties, the bulk are feminine they usually’re loving each second of tonight’s present.

Again on stage keyboards finally give option to a lot heavier sounds with Josh’s screeches and wails seemingly again on monitor and punctuating the guitar histrionics. Greta’s Led Zeppelin comparisons are already referenced however a cursory take heed to their Starchaser album reveals different influences too. In locations, Josh’s vocals bear an uncanny resemblance to Jon Anderson of 1970’s prog-rock titans Sure. Sacred the Thread is one such monitor. It’s rather more melodic and a well-constructed tune relatively than a riff-based assault. Anderson’s vocal styling and phrasing a lot in proof throughout vocal sections previous the inevitable guitar pyrotechnics.

In order for you rock present cliches they’re right here in abundance tonight. The stage is consumed by wave after wave of flames because the band pout and pose, throwing rock star shapes. The viewers in the meantime, is loving all of it, and changing into more and more enthralled as they’re hit by hovering jets of pyro and incendiary solo after solo.

Returning to the encore, issues flip quasi-classical with a rendition of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue serving up an instrumental prelude. Because the keyboards segue into Mild My Love, telephones are raised, arms sway and group singing ensues. Josh delivers the tune with actual feeling as an LBGTQ+ rainbow illuminates the stage. It’s a gesture acknowledging Josh’s choice to return out as homosexual earlier this 12 months and it’s very warmly obtained. Greta Van Fleet could superficially appear like a band re-inventing swaggering macho cock rock however delve a bit of deeper and there’s rather more occurring.

The Zeppelin influences are there for all to see however this can be a band rising into rather more than copyists. Gifted as musicians and fronted by a really distinctive vocalist, Greta Van Fleet at the moment occupy a musical world of their very own. Their stage presence is immense they usually placed on one hell of a present, and make no mistake it is vitally a lot a well-choreographed present. Most significantly they’ve acquired a era of twenty-somethings in awe of what they’re doing. These are virtuoso musicians and showmen as well with in-vogue LGBTQ+ credentials and for a lot of in a era introduced up on glum indie guitar bands, hip hop and TikTok singalongs, they’re a revelation.

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Phrases and photographs by Trev Eales. Extra work by Trev on Louder Than Conflict could be discovered at his writer’s profile.