Nottingham-based post-punk quartet head up one of their biggest shows – a virtuous date with 2,000-cap rock city.
It was late 2021 since Do Nothing were last in Nottingham, heading up the Rescue Rooms; the smaller sister venue of 450-cap. As ever, things kicked off with Gangs as Chris swooned, We’re all back together at last / Every dog that runs off comes on back..” as he made a large typeface gesture to the audience, as it transpired that we’re back…and so are they.
Of course, it’s always a big thing headlining a hometown show at one of your cities’ biggest capacity-sized music venues. This time, it was Do Nothing‘s turn in the sun last night. A rather nervy Chris Bailey spelled it out for the crowd on just how important this gig was, “This is a big occasion for us. We’ve known each other for a million years and we used to come see shows and stuff here and now we’re playing it and it’s a crazy time.” But, nerves shouldn’t have ever been an issue for the Nottingham boys as they delectably dripped the stage in pensive emotion and marvellous musical moments.
While it wasn’t a notoriously sold out show, it was evidently their biggest sized-venue they’ve ever attempted with the rest of the tour acclimatising the likes of Sneaky Pete‘s in Edinburgh at 100 capacity and Brudenell Social Club at 400 in Leeds. With it being a 2000-capacity space with both standing up on a balcony, Rock City is a big beast to fill and fill well. Despite this, the buzzed-out audience were zinging with both apprehension and anticipation at the prospect of what the night may bring. It was a momentous occasion not just for the boys performing in their city, but also for Nottingham’s local music scene in general. Sure enough, it was not a disappointing one with the 650-odd Do Nothing fanatics gloriously enjoying themselves as the band trifled through a stacked list of new and old; a cumulative celebration of where the band are now…and where they’re going next. Every band has to take that gigantic leap into the unknown and do gigs at bigger venues. And it’s a good time as any for a band like Do Nothing, as they delivered the spiky frenetics of their debut, Snake Sideways a few months back. New kids on the block Nerve and Sunshine State were magnetic to witness in the live setting, while old sure-fires of Gangs, Moving Target and Handshakes brought familial excitement into the sprawling of an encore.
Every band has to take that gigantic leap into the unknown and do gigs at bigger venues. And it’s a good time as any [for a band like] Do Nothing..
Their debut project- seemingly an album about making an album – Snake Sideways, was displayed in its full beauty as the mix was masterfully made, tipped for an all-round cream-of-the-crop performance. Tetchy The Needle was edgy in colour, a song with the hall-markings of great adaptations as Everything Everything’s recent remix shows. Sultry workings-out of Hollywood Learn was equally well received, as the live brought out everything more and then some. “Alright, that’s fine /I’ll just talk to my food / Why on Earth didn’t you tell me / You were in a car accident?” The strikings of Amoeba were also made greater by the synth wavelengths and Fine being their most straight-edged indie episode they’ve ever brought out.
The only niggle that ever came up was the sound guys’ lack of desire to turn up Bailey’s mic, as often, his wordy musings and often being lost amongst the blaring of every other member. As ever though, their spritely post-punk offerings jabbed with Kasper’s melodic jibes on guitar and Harrisons’ off-kilter percussive grains making a classic-cut combo.
Support Opus Kink‘s bass problems weren’t certainly going to spoil the broilings of a good evening either, as half of their set was spliced in half due to in-house sounds. Led by the unshakeable void of the importance of such a night, the shaken build-up was all but a ruse to result in a headline set devoid of any marginal errors. Magic stuff.
Do Nothing show us the strength of kooky post-punk toots in the ol’ city of Nottingham with a frenetic performance in the citys’ biggest venue.
You can view my reel about the show here>>
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