Live: MONEY

The Eagle Inn

27^th October

6.5/10

MONEY are a band who seem to cherish user experience. Since their splendidly dramatic show at the Dancehouse Theatre, I’ve been thirsty for gigs which are fuelled by the unusual – gigs which, taking MONEY as an example, may include support from a pissed parchment-wielding poet or feature a serenade from the frontman, bottle of wine in hand. So somewhat ironically, it came as little surprise to find what seemed to be a boilersuit-clad figure howling over some fantastically smooth lo-fi backing tracks upon arrival to the dark backroom of the Eagle Inn.

The Eagle Inn itself proceeds their last Manchester appearance with grace. Situated between warehouses on the outskirts of Salford (one of Manchester’s most underrated areas), the place is, on the surface, a quiet and modest pub. But deep within its bowels lurks a charmingly grand venue, armed with an impressively clear sound system and even a small balcony.

Throughout the evening the atmosphere is refreshingly communal and relaxed; most of the band chats with the crowd beforehand. As the final countdown approaches, MONEY simply emerge from the crowd’s ranks and, rather fittingly, the lipstick-laden Jamie lets out a modest “cheers” and the band are underway in a silently attentive room.

Laden with new tracks, the set is nonetheless gripping. The simple yet ethereal structures provide the perfect platform for a passionate Jamie to howl his choir boy lungs. What’s more, MONEY’s apparent rise to cult status has generated an atmosphere of utmost worship; audience praise between songs is phenomenal and even mosh pits spontaneously spring during the band’s more well-known hits.

This cacophony of lager and ambient magnificence, as sacrilegiously fun as it is, can seem much of the same at times. The band also seemingly rush through to play the newer, fresher songs. But without a doubt, MONEY still know how to make a night feel grand.