Chairlift @ The Scala – A Review

Chairlift’s gig at London’s Scala in Kings Cross on Wednesday night of this week was, apparently, their largest to date. The Brooklyn-based duo, consisting of Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wimberly were joined on stage by two compatriots for a musical tour through material from their two albums, ‘Does You Inspire You’ from 2008, and January’s ‘Something’.

They’re a difficult band to describe, but if a rumour circulated that they had stepped into the Tardis one evening in 1983 and had only emerged at the beginning of this week, I wouldn’t take much convincing. From the 2011 single, “Amanaemonesia”, with its strong, dark analog synth sounds, via their latest single “Met Before” with its powerful girl-rock vibe echoing Pat Benatar and Belinda Carlisle to “Bruises”, which has the essential sweetness of a Cyndi Lauper song, Chairlift are that fantastic band from the 1980s which you completely forgot about in the intervening years. That’s not to say that they’re derivative however – they’ve been very selective in drawing out the very best of those musical traditions and making them their own.

No doubt Chairlift are a band to watch – I’m sure the fairly modest surroundings of the Scala aren’t going to contain them for long. The support, Liverpool-based ‘Outfit‘, weren’t half bad either which makes a refreshing change. Here are two Youtube clips of Chairlift in action – see what you think…