Gig Review... Temples @ The Leadmill, Sheffield, 4th December 2014

It's been one hell of a year for Temples. Releasing their critically acclaimed debut 'Sun Structures', the Kettering four-piece blended classic songwriting with heavy 60's psychedelia influence. In the current climate of popular alternative music in 2014, Temples' style, although derivative, acts as a refreshing mix-up to the scene.

Taking to the stage at half nine, the band were preceded by support from Klaus Johann Grobe and NME favourites Superfood. Both played brilliant sets that warmed the crowd up nicely for Temples. Set up with an excellent backdrop of beautiful projections, artist Mad Alchemy provided an analog liquid lightshow that illuminated the band's euphoric music and created silhouettes of the band.

Opening with title track 'Sun Structures', the band set off on their psychedelic whirlpool. Temples were helped a long the way with the ever-changing visual projections but in places the band fell flat with a few tracks that, live, sounded all too similar to each other. In places, Temples extended tracks to enable a sonic battle of clashing spring reverbs and analog synths, especially towards the end of 'Sand Dance' but this was one of the set's highlights. 'A Question Isn't Answered' inevitably made way for an audience participation of claps due to the percussive style of song.



Fan favourites 'Shelter Song', 'Keep In The Dark' and 'Colours To Life' went down brilliantly and was received well by the warm crowd. This made up for the lack of talking to the audience from lead singer James Edward Bagshaw but nevertheless, this lack of communication added to the ongoing coherence of their music as if all the tracks blended seamlessly together. The energy of the band was high with constant movement especially from bassist Thomas Walmsley which added to the buzz of their set.

Coming back for an encore, the band played a slower more atmospheric song named 'Move With The Season' where Bagshaw proclaimed 'you'll all need to be quiet for this next one'. This at first felt slightly lacklustre but soon blossomed in to an epic crescendo of noise. They finished the set with, in my opinion, their biggest single 'Mesmerise' which went down a storm.

Temples did a great job of displaying what they were all about and as time goes by, more new material could form the perfect setlist to win over any naysayers. The band play Manchester Ritz tonight (6th Dec) followed with a string of shows in Scotland (Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow) before rounding it off in Newcastle Riverside. Make sure to catch them!

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