Yaang deliver a characteristically gritty yet whimsical punk party to Gullivers.
The final seven days in the build up to Christmas are a truly special time. Last-minute shopping (or getting started), cosy nights in with Sinatra swinging, but five minutes from the mulled wine and mince pie centric markets many are visiting, a final show of the year took place for Manchester trio Yaang.
Davey Moore lines up front and centre over his drum machine, conscious of not wanting to be cut off by the sound engineer before their set finishes following a delayed entrance. All bands have different views on audience interaction, as hard as delivering your art can be, it is also probably the easiest stand up gig you’ll do in your life. Bands can say pretty much what they want to those watching, and we’ll lap it up. Yaang however are a case in which you don’t know whether you’re enjoying the music, or the quips thrown between them throughout.
They relish the hecklers, in fact those shouting seem to be doing so to see what remark they can get back from the band, Moore thriving in his somewhat inebriated state. Once the band had enjoyed themselves enough and jibed with the crowd an adequate amount, the music would follow.
The crowd move with Moore’s eccentric and hilarious Pulp Fiction esc shapes, arms swinging and even going into full aerobics routines. Too Much Money where Oliver Duffy (guitar) takes up lead vocals picked up the energy in the beginning of the set. We were also introduced to a new single coming in 2025, and an unforgettable take on Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody, rivalling Paul McCartney’s festive fix at Coop Live last week.
By the time Airport Barfight came around Ben White’s (bass)Television Marquee Moon shirt (always a reassuring t-shirt to sight) was nowhere to be seen, and the band closed out the encore as people naturally smashed against each other in the crowd.
Yaang don’t take themselves too seriously, they are known for emphasising that their creative process and output should be fun. This combined with their outlook on what’s around them locally and wider leads to some great tracks, and as amusing as they are this is what drives their shows. The slacker punk style with musical talent and a lack of apathy is who they are, and offsets them from those around them in a jam packed Manchester Punk/Post-punk scene.
A stellar outing, minus points however for forgetting the t-shirts, there will be some seriously disappointed kids on Christmas due to this blunder.
