Monday night events can be a slog at the best of times, but Scottish post-rockers Mogwai easily packed out Melbourne's Forum with a sold-out show last night.
The night (19 February) kicked off with the eclectic folk-infused alt-rock of Georgia Knight and her band. Georgia looked completely at home onstage at the Forum, singing and swaying as she wielded an auto-harp with the band's set list scrawled on her hand in permanent marker.The four-piece effortlessly shifted from harp-driven indie folk numbers to a thumping rock track where Georgia switched to an overdriven guitar, evoking the raw energy of PJ Harvey. Bassist Nick Finch and drummer Holly Thomas were locked in, setting a strong foundation for Georgia's dynamic vocal range to shine.
Her voice careened from breathy whispers to frenetic shrieks, which complemented the unique rotation of instruments onstage – including a modified child-sized pump organ expertly wrangled by Rosie Excess, who at one point used the instrument as a drum.
Georgia Knight - image © Mark Ireland
Banter was kept to a minimum, but towards the latter half of the set, Georgia breathlessly proclaimed: "This is my dream. You're standing in my dream. I f...ing love Mogwai. We all had tickets to this show."
Mogwai's line-up for their 2024 Australian tour featured the original trio of Stuart Braithwaite on vocals and guitar, Dominic Aitchison on bass and Martin Bulloch on drums, accompanied by touring musicians Alex Mackay on guitar and Maria Sappho on keys (standing in for founding member Barry Burns, who was unable to make it due to personal reasons).
While Burns' absence was certainly felt, the switch in line-up had no impact on the absolutely monumental performance the band delivered on Monday night.
The band's set list was satisfyingly paced, starting off with two tracks from their 2021 album 'As The Loves Continues' before launching into old favourite 'Take Me Somewhere Nice', only one of two tracks in the evening's set that featured vocals.
Mogwai - image © Mark Ireland
Despite the colossal sound and sold-out show, the band's founding members were dressed down and as humble as ever. Braithwaite, Aitchison and Bulloch all donned baseball caps and casual t-shirts, and the only words Braithwaite exchanged with the crowd were gracious variations of "thanks so much, cheers!" in his distinct Scottish accent between most songs.
With nearly three decades of collaboration under their belt, Mogwai showcased their mastery of dynamics throughout their 90-minute set.
The audience, some with their eyes closed, absorbed the immense wall of sound, with Bulloch's kick drum delivering palpable thuds, intensifying the emotional crescendos that define the band's style.
Notable moments included a rendition of 'New Paths To Helicon, Pt. 1', featuring Braithwaite and Aitchison swapping instruments. The experience felt transcendental, enhanced by Aitchison's delay-soaked guitar and Braithwaite's bass chords against a backdrop of starry lighting, followed by dramatic strobes during the climax – a crowd member aptly shouted "f... yes!" during the performance.
'Remurdered' stood out as another high point of the set with Aitchison transitioning to the keys, creating a captivating interplay between a catchy guitar riff and analog synths that would feel at home in an '80s video game.
Mogwai - image © Mark Ireland
The night concluded with the expansive 'Mogwai Fear Satan', condensed down from its original 16-minute version on the group's debut 1997 album.
While this live version didn't feature its iconic flute melody, the dynamics were unparalleled – the crunch of cans beneath the audience's feet were audible over soft guitar textures, before dramatically launching into a thunderous climax of soaring tremolo-picked leads, feedback and driving bass.
Mogwai's command over the quiet, heavy, dark, and light elements of their repertoire was evident as they skilfully crafted emotional soundscapes, leaving the audience captivated by every reverb-soaked note. Not bad at all for a Monday night.
More photos from the concert.
