Master Peace is the definition of a new-wave artist: blending rap, rock, and electronic influences to not only transcend the boundaries of genre but almost create a new genre entirely. Counting the likes of The Streets, JME, and multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer extraordinaire Georgia as collaborators, he was nominated as a BBC Introducing Ones to Watch artist in 2023. His live shows cement him as a key figure in the so-called ‘indie sleaze revival’.
Promptly entering the stage with a bounce as the clock struck nine, Master Peace asked “Manchester, are we ready to have it tonight?” a question returned by unanimous cheers. Peace of Mind cut ‘Achilles Heel’ opened the set, and it wasn’t long until Peace was leading his enthusiastic crowd in chants of “Night after night, night after night, she’s on my mind.” Transitioning into ‘Veronica’, Peace seemed to embody Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke, who he has previously revered as one of the artists who are “like superheroes to me” in an interview with Rolling Stone. A delightfully jolting guitar riff from Danny Snowdon, the only instrumentalist accompanying Peace on stage, completed this comparison, while the lack of a full live band only served to enunciate Peace’s own presence and personality.
Performing without a band does bring its difficulties, however. Relying on a backing track for the bulk of the set, the first blunder occurred as the track for ‘I Might Be Fake’, a collaboration with Georgia from Master Peace’s latest body of work, interrupted a short-lived cover version of Arctic Monkeys’ ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’. Nevertheless, Peace swiftly recuperated and continued his set in the same confident, buoyant manner, with the slip-up being one of few humorous but minor missteps amongst an electrifying performance.
How To Make A Master Peace, the Londoner’s debut album released in early March, marked a huge step up from his previous EPs, developing and elevating all influences previously apparent. One of the album’s highlights, ‘LOO SONG’, was preceded by Peace’s declaration that “You are all Master Peace, we’ve come to see you.” This appreciation for the audience was certainly reciprocated, and the crowd returned Peace’s enthusiasm by shouting the line “She wants what she wants when she wants it,” which grounds the track’s chorus and makes it such an effortlessly catchy earworm.
Despite Peace’s roots in rap, punk, and indie, it was the house-inspired songs dedicated to “all my ravers” which provided many of the set’s highlights. With a discography spanning many genres and influences, it would have been easy for a Master Peace show to slip into discordance, yet as an artist, Peace manages to balance this perfectly. ‘Zesty’, an unreleased track from an upcoming deluxe edition of his debut album, sounded like the cooler older sibling of ‘Heaven’, and both songs naturally had the crowd bouncing.
Launching into ‘LOS NARCOS’, a song described as “very chanty,” Peace proved that “Indie sleaze is back, baby,” before joining his crowd for ‘Start You Up’, one of six equally enthralling singles released in the lead-up to How To Make A Master Peace. This interaction encouraged an already enthusiastic audience, and all that could be seen from the outskirts of the crowd were gleeful faces and limbs flying. If Master Peace is the leader of an indie sleaze revolution, then ‘GET NAUGHTY!’ is certainly its manifesto, acting as a theme song for sex, enjoyment, and unruly raucousness. This was his choice of closer for the main body of the set, but evidently only left the crowd wanting more as the usual chants of “one more song” erupted.
For the latter part of the set, Peace opted for a medley of “The Old Master Peace,” which was received well by an audience who had clearly followed his journey from early into his career. “For so long we’ve been trying to make this thing work, and you guys are the reason we can do it,” Peace candidly acknowledged, detailing the risks he had taken in creating his debut album. These risks, however, have certainly paid off, as his live performance confirmed his ability to fluently navigate the boundaries of genre, both transcending and adhering to traditional tropes.
The main fault with the set was its length, ending only 45 minutes after it began. It’s said that the best things come in small doses, but the early turn-in was inevitably disappointing, and only compensated by the sheer quality and energy of Peace’s performance, bringing with it relatable and oftentimes witty lyricism, incomparable stage presence and a flair and dynamism next to none.
When speaking to Peace after the show, he gave three phrases to describe the show: “Sweaty, energetic, and what I live for.” Naturally fashionable and immensely talented, Master Peace is a name to remember and may well become the voice of a generation. He’s already played larger venues supporting The Streets, but if ‘How To Make a Tour’ is any indication, it won’t be long until he’s selling them out on his own.
