My review: The Maitlands - Live in Salford, March 2022

My review

The Maitlands live in Salford

5 March 2022

Every city has its own delays to deal with, because there are traumas and difficulties to pay attention to.

Manchester is no exception.

And about an aspect of music interest and sharing, the issue increases given its importance.

Life goes on and music comes back to show its face, its muscles, its passion, its ardour, its need, its pride, its need to legitimise itself.

Among them are The Maitlands, a splendid reality that does not want excessive visibility, nor does it seek approval whatever: it exists for the pleasure of it, without ambitions or exaggerated dreams.

Their joy lies in writing songs and playing whenever possible.

At a time when the line-up is changing, some of the new members were not in time to play with the band tonight.

In a four-piece line-up, but with a sound that seemed to be the product of more musicians, they showed all their class with a nine-song set at the Eagle Inn on the Salford/Manchester border, playing in front of an attentive and amused audience.

Having appeared as a Special Guest for a couple of songs at Academy 3 in August 2020, Heavy Salad guitarist Rob Glennie is now a permanent member of The Maitlands and his contribution strengthens the sound of the quartet, whose set shook, moved and led attendees to an articulate thought, given the depth of Carl's lyrics.

The three members of the line-up, Carl L. Ingram, Saul Padraig Gerrard and Matt Byrne, for their part, were totally at ease and able to express their talent, having found in Rob the best ally.

A perfect setlist that combined singles and lesser known songs with extreme fluidity and the ability to keep the tension and beauty of their compositions constant.

Mention must be made of the opener "Dead Slow", which after 4 years seems even fresher and able to show the band's endless musical roots, and of the always clamorous "When it Rains, it Pours", an atomic ride which, thanks to Matt's granitic bass, Rob's twisted and sensual guitar and Saul's acid drumming, allows Carl's singing to bring out his powerful and catchy melodic line.

All the songs demonstrate their total disregard for the need of other bands to feel part of a hypothetical Manchester music scene.

They wisely go in a different direction, drawing from the globe and different decades to make their music something compact and not morbidly tied to the Mancunian city.

That’s the sort of concerts that brings good cheer, a predisposition towards unquestionable artistic skill and joy, because their ability to be on stage is a robust smile capable of taking root in the heart.

Welcome back!

Alex Dematteis 

Musicshockworld 

Salford

March 6th, 2022