Gig review - Spector @ HMV Ritz

   Well I guess it's a bit late now, about 2 weeks late buy hey, here it is...

   Few weeks back, I saw the amazing Spector at the HMV Ritz in Manchester. For the 5th time this year i've been graced with their presence and once again, they have not let me down at all.
   Definitely my favorite new band of 2012. Spector have managed to force their way into every indie-kids playlist. Repetitive play on the radio, mentions as a band to watch with NME and XFM, and now an extensive UK tour to cement themselves as the new band of 2012. They have managed to catapult themselves up the music industry ladder in no time and with a UK Top 20 album under their belts, i'm sure it was about perfect timing to let it leash on their ever so grateful fans. Fred, Jed, Tom, Chris and Danny packed up and got ready for their biggest headline tour to date.

   For one, such a great place to play a gig. Old style room, sticky carpets and bouncy floors. Definitely the place to play in Manchester at the moment. To build up the atmosphere, Spector gave us their friends, Splashh and Swim Deep as support. Both as grungy, melodic and atmospheric as the other, they didn't half set us up well for the main act. So here we go, Spector came out to the roar of the crowd (nothing different on that front). 'Well I guess its Friday night...' Fred stated in his usual charismatic way. Chris turned up the distortion, spread his legs in the ancient rock god stance and cranked out the epic opening melody line to 'Friday Night, Don't Ever Let It End'. When the floor bounced at the front, the back were flung high into the air and sweat began to collect on the ceiling. Passionate chants of 'Friiiiiiiiiidaaayyy nighhttttttttt...' echoed throughout the room. Future hits 'Twenty Nothing' and 'Upset Boulevard' followed along with the established 'Grey Shirt & Tie'. Fred and the lads began to give us hit after hit for their album, 'Enjoy It While It Lasts'. 'True Love', 'Lay Low' and my personal favorite 'What You Wanted' just some of them. 'No Adventure' and  'Grim Reefer' just some of the others given to us off the album. But as usual, save the best till last (not quite the last) with the floor erupting 'Celestine' and 'Chevvy Thunder' which surely got the elbows banging, the moshpits forming and screams and chants to their pinnacle. Leaving us with byes, reluctantly of course, they were dragged from the stage. Once again, chants of 'SPECTOR... SPECTOR...' were reaching its way to every corner of the building. So they came back on for their encore, the most perfect 'Never Fade Away'. Hands in the air clapping, lyrics sung in unison with Fred and the band, it was the best way to end the night.
   So once again, Spector were just epic. And once again, i'll be seeing them in December at XFM's Winter Wonderland. Sometimes I feel like a fucking groupie, but ah well, they are worth it. Another 6 times will be in order in 2013. Ever get a chance to see them yourself, GO FOR IT.