My Bloody Valentine – Camden Roundhouse 20/06/08

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Photographs: Ama Chana

Whilst most bands reunite for money, an ego-boost, or an ill-fated attempt to reclaim past glories, one gets the impression that when the prickly and perfectionist Kevin Shields decides to make a comeback, he’s got a damn good reason to. And whilst seminal noise-rockers My Bloody Valentine haven’t any new material on show just yet, tonight’s show more than proves they’ve not lost the scintillating energy that made them such a draw the first time round.

The fierce opening chords of ‘Only Shallow’ immediately dispelled fears their 14 year hiatus had softened them, and there’s little faulting any of their other picks from Loveless either- an extended ‘I Only Said’ was particularly breathtaking. Some folks complained about inaudible vocals, especially Sheilds’, but they’ve never been a prominent element of the MBV sound- and in all honesty, most of songs work just as well as pure instrumentals.

Their legendary reputation for volume held up to scrutiny throughout the evening, ultimately culminating in the twenty minute, tinnitus-baiting coda of ‘You Made Me Realise’: 128.9 dB of pure unyielding feedback that sounded like a jet-plane taking off in your face. At that kind of volume, sound ceases to be just noise but something tangibly physical; you could actually feel the vibrations wracking your body. I wouldn’t call a pleasant experience, exactly, but the sheer sense of sensory overload was nothing if not memorable and hypnotic in a way I can’t quite place…

Definitely one of the most striking experiences of my life, albeit one (for the sake of my poor eardrums) I’m not desperate to repeat any time soon!