black midi are an interesting beast, a mix of post punk, experimental rock and math rock. The band had an extremely successful 2019 breaking into the Top 40 in the album charts as well as releasing a critically acclaimed album which featured in many of the end of the year lists.
The album is filled with fast-paced, high energy tunes which translates well into the chaotic live show which midi present.
This energy was transported to the room which was packed to the point of it being almost uncomfortable.
However, this worked in black midi’s favour, with the crowd serving up some of the biggest mosh pits I’ve seen.
Consistently, people were dredging over to the small bar at the side of the venue for water dripping in sweat looking as though they’d been dropped into the Tyne.
The ability to produce this reaction within a crowd is testament to midi’s live show after what seemed an eternity of omnious, choral singing which transported the venue into some sort of bizarre gothic cathedral before the band appeared.
What perhaps is unique about black midi is their approach to playing live not simply wanting to reproduce their album to an audience and instead trying to make something new and fresh.
This is highlighted in their set which only featured six songs from their debut LP amongst a twelve song set.
These six songs went down well with a mosh pit forming which went all the way back to the entrance.
The band sound spectacular live, the guitar work was particularly impressive with complex riffs completed with aplomb in a beautiful way displaying the group’s talent.
A particular highlight was a cover of The Police’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ which was unexpected to say the least.
However, this further displays the band’s talent of taking songs from artists, such as FONTAINES DC in the past, and making them their own which was almost certainly the case with this cover.
If you get the chance to see black midi take it up they are like nothing you’ll ever see.
Humbug North East 