Savages Live Concert Review

To put it simply, Savages may be one of the greatest live band I have ever seen. From the start of their set to the band bowing goodbye, the experience was sublime. For those not familiar with Savages, this band seems as though they were locked in a time capsule from the 1980s, only to surface in 2012 with their first album, Silence Yourself. Savages make music that would make Ian Curtis proud. The band wears their influences on their sleeve, with such acts as Bauhaus, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Joy Division all clearly taking a role in inspiring their sound and overall aesthetic. All in all, Savages take the English post-punk foundation set by bands such as those previously mentioned, and build it up into an aggressive, pummeling live experience that is unlike anything seen in recent years.

After about a half hour of waiting for Savages to take the stage, the lights in Union Transfer begin to slowly dim, being replaced by  burning white light pouring from multiple flood lights behind the drum kit. The four members of the band then silently take the stage. Jehnny Beth, the front-woman, proceeded to slowly approach the microphone stand, and with that, the initial kick drum beat to “I Am Here” began. Here is a quick warning to those who want to see Savages live, they play LOUDLY. The rendition of “I Am Here” was absolutely incredible, with Jehnny Beth’s energy immediately turned up as high as it can go. She darted across the stage, hypnotically dancing and locking eyes with the audience whist delivering her beautiful, deep register vocals. This energy never ceased, continuing into the next 17 songs the band would preform that night. Savages followed their first track up with a few more newer tracks, and then kicked into a superb performance of “Shut Up” of their 2012 release. It was abrasive and aggressive while also retaining the studio version’s beauty and refrain. The white light flashed intensely to the tempo of the music, causing Beth’s movement to appear stuttered. This paired with the sheer volume of the music resulted in one of the most exciting and enveloping live shows I have ever attended. Savages continued the set, playing most songs from their 2016 release and all of the fan favorites, such as “Hit Me” and “Adore”. During the performance of “Adore”, Beth stood over the sea of people pressed against the stage and began to chant “Will you catch me if I fall?”, as the crowd cheered to her whilst reaching out. She then threw herself into the crowd, only to be thrown back on stage, where she then threw herself right back in. It was an amazing display of energy, and a moment that makes me believe Jehnny Beth might be on of the greatest front-men in modern music history.

The band finished their set with the set with the song “Fuckers”, putting every last ounce of energy into that last song. The mosh pit reformed for one last mosh, reciprocating the energy being projected from the band. They finished the track, said their parting words in a lovely English accent, and bowed farewell. The last thing said to us was “we will be coming back!”, and I cannot wait. Savages is a band everyone should experience live, and I will do whatever I can to ensure that I get the privilege to see this amazing band preform once again.