Holy HolyA low light illuminating a long-haired man gripping a guitar cut the dark shadows that previously inhabited the stage.
Slowly the long fluorescent globes lining the back of the stage brightened and the rest of the band were revealed. As the long-haired man began to play the thud of tom-toms and a remarkably thick-sounding snare, this added to the ambience before one final member of the band made his way on stage. The singer gripped the microphone stand and then the band launched into Impossible Like You. Holy Holy were a force to be reckoned with. Tim Carroll's gentle tenor danced and mingled perfectly with Oscar Dawson's intricate guitar work, and they were both brilliantly supported by the rest of the band.
Holy Holy cruised through some older stuff and some newer stuff. Sentimental And Monday gave way to Darwinism, which in turn made space for History. The entire set had a surprisingly heavy sound. Every song contained their characteristically jangly guitars, soaring melodies and beautiful harmonies. But, as the tunes progressed, they managed to produce a wall of sound that you would usually expect to hear from much heavier bands. This heaviness didn't, however, seem out of place at all. They were well rehearsed and the delicacy of the guitar work perfectly complemented the vocals. You Cannot Call For Love Like A Dog exemplified this template exquisitely, starting soft, lulling and crooning before thick guitars and big drums took everyone on a screeching trip.
There was no noticeable mid-set lull and before we knew it the lights dimmed. The band left the stage and reentered for the obligatory encore, and then the night was over.
Holy Holy were absolutely mesmerising for the entirety of their show; a quality set by a quality band.
