Review: Boston Manor Host Hometown Livestream
Last night Boston Manor hosted their hometown livestream in Blackpool, England. Originally, the concert was supposed to take place at Blackpool Tower, though nearly last minute the band had to change locations due to technical issues and instead performed inside Empress Ballroom.
This was a unique setup for a show because the band was not on a stage but set up in a circle facing one another. This dynamic made the performance more whole and allowed not only the viewers but the band to feel as though they were not alone while performing or watching.
In this setting, fans were able to hear with such clarity how the songs sounded live, which is often corrupted by others singing over each other. Vocalist Henry Cox has such clean vocals, both on the record and live. It’s nice to hear how this band sounds extremely similar transferring their recorded to live sound. Some bands struggle with this and can’t perform songs as they were recorded, but it is proof of how talented this band truly is.
Though it was a different way to watch a show, it was still a fun way for viewers to feel as though they were able to see a show and feel somewhat normal from the comfort of their own home. This livestream was also a perfect way for the band to be able to perform songs from their most recent album GLUE as it was released in May and they have not had the opportunity to play any shows in 2020.
The setlist was packed with a bunch of new tracks from GLUE and also featured tracks from the band’s previous album, Welcome to the Neighborhood.
The setlist included:
Everything is Ordinary
Ratking
Only1
Flowers in Your Dustbin
England’s Dreaming
Brand New Kids
On A High Ledge
You, Me, & the Class War
Bad Machine
Playing God
Funeral Party
1’s and 0’s
Plastic Dreams
Halo
One thing that really stood out about this livestream was Henry Cox promoting self-care during quarantine. He reminded viewers that this is not going to always be the norm and it may be going on for a bit longer, but make sure to be aware of and protect your mental health. World Mental Health Awareness Day was a few days before the show, and Cox makes a point to say that while looking after yourself while the pandemic continues, make sure to look out for others as well.
After this important reminder, the band transitioned into playing “On A High Ledge” which was pretty fitting and served as a nice hiatus in the set. Even after such a serious note, Boston Manor was able to raise the energy of the show and made people want to headbang and jump around no matter which room of their house they may be watching from.
Though concert lovers would rather attend an in-person show, Boston Manor did an amazing job giving fans an alternative performance. They allowed listeners to hear their new music live and it is comforting knowing bands still care enough about fans that they want them to be involved while they evolve. Needless to say, Boston Manor has set a new standard for shows in 2020.