Live review: Ibibio Sound Machine light up Band on the Wall

Manchester Jazz Festival’s spiritual avatar takes the form of a middle-aged music-lover clothed in flares and a patterned shirt, rocking out to the familiar funky and jazzy sounds of the late 70s. Band on the Wall certainly does a good job of accommodating for the vibe; red velvet curtains drape before the wall behind the performers, acting as a backdrop for a stage and venue that feels simultaneously both grand and homely, both impressive and intimate. It’s a relatively small venue but it’s packed out, causing trouble for those attempting to filter in and out between pints as the DJs from Manchester’s very own Me Gusta Collective set the tone for the night of groovy global rhythms. 

Ibibio Sound Machine arrive on stage and the first thing that catches our eyes are their stunning outfits. Lead Singer Eno Williams is wearing a beautiful, geometrically inspired, black-and-white dress shimmering in the light of Band on the Wall’s impressive disco ball and a hat that looks like a yassified version of Captain Jack Sparrow’s, whilst the rest of the band are wearing similar smart-yet-funky outfits.

They kick off the gig with their most recent album’s title track, ‘Electricity’, a synth-heavy dance track reminiscent of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Dance Yrself Clean’, and it doesn’t take a lot to get this crowd moving. That’s not unexpected, as Ibibio performs the perfect blend of genres to appeal to Manchester’s crowd. The set moves seamlessly between funk-inspired dance bangers to the post-punk rockers so deeply adored in Manchester, whilst retaining a distinctly global edge in their use of instrumentation. The next song in the setlist is their most popular, ‘Talking Fish’, boasting the catchiest bassline and vocals in their discography. Expanding on the album-versions of their songs, their set features wonderful solos and extended instrumental sections which are evidently appreciated by the crowd; in ‘Talking Fish’, band-member Scott Baylis launches into a triumphant trumpet-solo.

Almost all of Ibibio Sound Machine’s band-members are multi-instrumentalists, which gives them breadth for refreshing variety in their set. Though they perform a few more relaxed numbers, their dance-inspired tunes are consistently the most alluring, and they leave little room for the crowd to rest their weary legs. House-track ‘Wanna See Your Face’ is perhaps the highlight of their set, driving the crowd into rhythmic joy as the younger-half expresses their approval at the heavier, four-on-the-floor groove. The crowd is of a somewhat mixed age-group, which comes as a surprise given the relative expense of watching a middle-aged, hippy-esque funk band in comparison to the usual weekend club antics; we certainly weren’t the only ones under the age of thirty! 

Funk tune ‘I Need You to be Sweet Like Sugar’ follows, featuring a fantastic solo from guitarist Alfred Kari Bannerman. A couple of wildly entertaining minutes are given for Alfred to bask in the metaphorical spotlight (Band on the Wall is an already well-lit venue), as Eno returns with a vocoder to warp her voice for the remainder of the song. The penultimate song of their set is afro-beat inspired ‘Nyak Mien’, featuring a juxtaposition of Eno’s charismatic, sunny croons and her energetic shrieks on the chorus. They then proceed to briskly walk off stage, prompting the crowd to erupt into calls for an encore.

I like to call it a game of peek-a-boo for adults; we know they’re going to come back on stage, and they know that we know. Yet it’s also fun and engaging to use the power of our collective voices to express appreciation for the band’s magic by enthusiastically distributing tinnitus to ourselves. Ibibio Sound Machine return to the stage to perform a more fitting conclusion to their set; a marathon 8-minute version of their tune ‘17 18 19’, leaving room for all band-members to play a solo, of which percussionist Alfa Sackey’s bongo solo is a highlight. 

Ibibio Sound Machine are truly perfect for Manchester’s crowd, accommodating for all corners of the city’s enchantingly rich music history. From dance-punk to funk and house, their sets are varied, enticing and swirling with joy. They will leave you with sore joints and very little time to breathe, in the best way possible.