Meg Chandler Live - Lock 91

Words by Tom F-H. Images by Cory Holmes and Emma Halpin. Event by Vanquish Music.

Suspended above the central Manchester canal is old, red brick Lock 91. From the outside I had wondered where they could possibly fit a stage to accommodate four bands for tonight’s show, however, after passing under fairy lights into a quaint, rustic room with armchairs and a smallish bar, I was overjoyed to find a small, metal staircase leading both up (to the venue) and down (to an adorable outdoor seating area right near the water). The walk to Lock 91 takes you past Rebellion and Pop World, both of which usually full of rowdy groups, starting fights for no reason and doing whatever else drunk lads do on a Thursday night. This walk to Lock 91 is what makes it seem even more welcoming, as turning the corner leads into a calming, safe haven for those who are the complete opposite as the aforementioned. The building’s olden industrial feel is felt no less than when you reach the top of the staircase and emerge into a large, open loft space, featuring a low, wide stage and a bar in the back.

Mali Mae was mid-song when we arrived. My immediate thought was that her sombre vocals were aligned with a backing track, but as we moved forward I saw that she was accompanied by a keyboard player, who – as the kids might say – went absolutely ham in the next song, leaving me seriously impressed. It turns out that we had just caught her on a quiet song, and that her next track would be her last.

The rest of the band emerged from behind a curtain wielding an electric guitar and a cajon to play a more fast-paced track that grooved hard and had very strong melodic elements that I really would have loved to have seen in a louder, full band environment with a drum kit. The bassist performed some slap bass here and the guitarist mirrored rhythmically; at this point I was just in grooveland.

Mali Mae laughed as she forgot her lyrics to one track, but she more than made up for this with great energy and cheerfulness as she jokingly stated that she was “sacking [the band] after this”. It was a really strong start to the night, and I was enamoured with everything, from the music to the location.

Following this, our obligatory four-piece Manchester indie band began to set up - except that Arkayla had no drummer or cajon player, so they became a three-piece with an interesting decision to play almost completely without a rhythm section. Whether this was for better or worse I am not entirely sure, however they played together and in time a whole lot better than I expected, implying that they were well rehearsed. At this point the audience were buzzing with excitement, and I was very happy to see everyone moving right up towards the barrier, which was now embossed with a big, blue ‘Arkayla’ banner. Friends of the band, perhaps their managers or helpers sat on a small sofa that was indented into the wall just to the right of the stage.

Arkayla’s music had ambient intentions, and they could have really used some pedals and guitar effects to accentuate this, though it was quite cute seeing them using a Roland Cube guitar amp and pretty much nothing else. The vocalist pleasantly surprised me with soulful vocals and the performance really picked up towards the end of the set when one of the members instigated a clap from the audience. I almost laughed at how much this simple, barely on-tempo beat added to the performance and really made me wish I could have seen Arkayla with this element. Bringing a more personal and unique sound to a very popular and recreated genre deserves merit and they did a great job of making a very chilled out night more sonically diverse.

In another shift of dynamics, Joe Chandler and his cajon companion played yet another melodically different and interesting set. His use of an electric guitar instead of an acoustic one brought the frequencies up and I could tell that he was a songwriter at heart, as his attention to detail really shined through in small section changes or rhythmic sections between simple and effective four-chord choruses. He combined a traditional Manchester indie style with minor hints of indie pop and even shoegaze. Again, I wondered what his set would sound like with the full range of a bigger band.

Joe Chandler really shined through as he and his assistant remained on-stage to accompany the headline act, Meg Chandler, who played an acoustic guitar. This extra backing provided something I really wanted: a new range of frequencies. The acoustic brought a lower, more bass-emboldened tone to the mix, really serving to compliment the electric’s lead noodling and riffage.

Meg Chandler began to cheers and cries with a slower, more intimate cover of Outkast’s Hey Ya!, which I thought was a lovely way to open – the crowd sang back and the setting suddenly turned intimate. The support acts were good, but Meg Chandler was a true headliner and the energy that she brought made everyone aware of this without having spoken a word. In addressing the audience, she expressed her frustration that she had lost her voice, not only for this show but for the previous ones she had played too, and that she was cursed by some evil, vocalist-hating spirit. This barely detracted from her performance, however, as her next song led the audience to burst into song, everyone in the room cheered and raised their spirits in response.

The energy in the venue was lovely and wholesome, and it was clear that everyone we were surrounded by was there with only the best intentions. Special thanks to John Gibson-Baccoli for putting on a lovely night in a great grassroots venue

Photo by Cory Holmes