Gig review: Hurray For The Riff Raff at Metronome

Before Alynda and their band took to the stage, support on the night was provided by one of Nottingham’s finest, Katie Keddie. “Thanks for coming down early, it’s no fun playing to an empty room,” she said, with a decent crowd already gathered in Metronome for her warm-up set. Accompanied by bandmate Tom who switches between banjo and guitar, you can barely hear a pin drop as Katie’s effortlessly graceful vocals glide around Metronome’s acoustics.

The set mainly draws from Katie’s Nothing Much To Say EP, released earlier this year, with Last Weekend and Hydroplane standing out in the live setting. There’s a couple of new songs too though, with Japanese Garden played live for only the second-ever time and Play Dead, about being anxious at a party, also sounding blissful. It’s a short but sweet set that arguably gives the crowd their money’s worth already.

After a quick 30-minute break, Hurray For The Riff Raff arrive on stage to the sounds of grand, operatic strings. They are performing as a quartet tonight, with Alynda backed by a lead guitarist, drummer and bassist. There’s no time for introductions though, as they launch straight into the duo of Alibi and Hawkmoon, from their wonderful 2024 record The Past Is Still Alive. “Thanks for coming out, it’s good to be here,” says Alynda, before their microphone stand breaks causing momentary distress. After a stagehand comes on to fix, Alynda then introduces fan-favourite RHODODENDRON by saying “This song is about flowers.”

It's one of the few songs tonight not taken from The Past Is Still Alive as the band play through the whole album in full, with Buffalo, The Colossus of Roads and spiritual title track Snake Plant all getting a warm reception. Most artists probably couldn’t get away with such a new music heavy set, but when you’ve just released one of the albums of the year so far featuring some of your very best work, and the songs sound just as rich live as they do on record, the crowd isn’t going to complain.

“I can’t remember the last time I was in Nottingham,” muses Alynda, before a voice from the crowd yells out “2017!” back at them. “Ok that was a long time ago,” responds Alynda, as they introduce a song that is “Over 10 years old, but still remains sadly relevant.” The song is The Body Electric and it’s one of the highlights of the whole set, thanks to the gorgeously sung refrain of “Shoot me down, put my body in the river.”

After SAGA from 2022 album LIFE ON EARTH, it’s then another flurry of new tracks to finish the set, with Vetiver, Hourglass, The World Is Dangerous and finally Ogallala all sounding fantastic. After the band exit the stage for a brief moment, the thunderous applause from the packed Metronome crowd brings them quickly back out for the encore.

“We couldn’t leave without doing this last song,” says Alynda, teasing the expectant audience with one final perfomance. “It’s 2024 and sometimes it can feel like you’re living in hell but with a lot of beauty around – that’s why I am focussing on these beautiful people on stage,” Alynda continues, acknowledging the other members of the band who have been mighty impressive tonight. “There’s a lot of wealthy people who want to divide us and go off to live on Mars. Pa’lante to me means we move forward and we move forward together.” It’s a beautiful speech and sentiment on which to send the crowd home, but not before they tear up the stage one last time with soaring guitars and yells of Pa’lante.

It may have been seven years since Hurray For The Riff Raff last played in Nottingham, but no doubt this Metronome show made up for those that had been long awaiting their return to our city, as well as those like myself able to catch them live for the first time. Quite simply, a band at the top of their game.

Hurray For The Riff Raff played Metronome on Thursday 15th August 2024 with support from Katie Keddie.

@hurrayfortheriffraff