Bipolar
Sunshine – EVAC Liverpool 2/11/2013
After rushing down to the
EVAC from witnessing a disappointing loss for Liverpool at the hands of
Arsenal, I was certainly in the mood to be cheered up. The beer prices weren’t
going to do that so it was down to the man himself, Adio Marchant and he did
not disappoint. Bipolar Sunshine, the solo project from
Adio Marchant (previously of Kid British), have almost risen out of nowhere
with near to no hype. This could be to do with many reasons, one of them being
that Kid British, after promising so much, were forgotten about and placed on
the music industry’s “nearly” shelf. This being the case, Adio Marchant has got
back on his musical horse with something that no one expected.
Due to the football, I
missed the majority of the support bands but I wasn’t too concerned as I had a
feeling the headline act would blow the crowd away. Walking into the EVAC, it
immediately felt very surreal. I felt out of place, under dressed, and
definitely under prepared for what was to come. Looking around, at first it was
quite hard to find anyone who looked my age. Everyone was well dressed, all the
men had beards, and all the women had handbags. I immediately got lost, walking
past the restaurant and after briefly glancing at the menu, this was definitely
not a place you’d find many students. However, this was all forgotten about
once Bipolar Sunshine took to the stage.
Being cool, calm and collected and playing tracks from his EPs ‘Aesthetics’ and ‘Drowning Butterflies’,
Adio’s presence reeked of a musician who should already be well established
within the industry. His slow-burning, soulful vocals were played over
captivating R n’ B influenced beats. Not only this, at times it was
hard to remember that Bipolar Sunshine is essentially a solo project. The band
that accompanied Marchant were as much a part of the band as the Manchurian
himself. They almost channeled the vibe of a sunset evening somewhere a
thousand miles away with some amazingly beautiful harmonies that are very
apparent in the acapela sections of “Rivers”. Some songs, such as “Fire” almost
take these harmonies to such a level that it sounds like a chant that has come
straight out of an African tribe. It is then that I realise why Bipolar
Sunshine have chosen to play the EVAC. It just fits. I couldn’t help but feel
that this sort of sound would just get lost in a bigger venue which has it’s
benefits but obviously also has it’s major drawbacks. It seems a shame to
already be writing someone off who obviously has immense talent, so I turn my
attention back to the performance and forget about the future of Bipolar
Sunshine.
In
tandem with the vocally led tracks that were predominately on show, new track “Blossom” nicely broke up the set with an abrasive, almost
dubby guitar track, providing a thundering soundscape for Adio’s gorgeous
falsetto to float heartbreakingly above it. The droned and abrasive
textures of the instrumental sent me into a trance, where I felt relaxed and
comfortable in my surroundings. Bipolar Sunshine kept the crowd’s attention
throughout the set purely due to the talent that was on show. There was very
little talking in between tracks, and it was almost over before it began but from
start to finish it was thoroughly enjoyable. They were the perfect band to go
and see after a stressful day. If anyone deserves a second go at becoming a
successful musician it’s Adio, and with Bipolar Sunshine this looks extremely
promising. Only time will tell, let’s keep our fingers crossed!
