Live Review: A Burial at Sea at Downstairs at the Dome, Tuffnell Park, London (04/05/24)

I hate having to start a review off like this, but I need to have a little rant.

It’s easy to forget that no matter how good a band is on stage, the crowd in attendance are a major part of making the overall show a good experience. I have been to pub shows that had the atmosphere of a riot, I’ve been to full arenas that had the atmosphere of a morgue, and I’ve been to this show, where the immersion and intricacies of A Burial at Sea’s sound was hurt by the inane chatter of a hefty portion of a crowd that clearly had no interest in the band.

To call the show frustrating is an understatement, the better word might be infuriating. Especially when it became abundantly clear that this seemed to stem from the fact that a large portion of the crowd were here for the support band, Arms and Sleepers (a trip-hop/electronica band that has been around since 2006), and only them.

Rather than head off to the many pubs surrounding the venue, these people chose to spend the entire show talking. A Burial At Sea getting louder and heavier? Shout instead so your pal can hear you. A track like Lightning Blanket is completely ruined as the subtle melodies and chant of “A place that I call home” is drowned out by many people not giving a damn about anyone but themselves.

Just move though, right? It’s Downstairs at the Dome aka The Boston Music Room, there isn’t a lot of places you can move to. It wouldn’t have mattered though because this selfish behaviour was across the venue floor. Disrespectful to all around you, and disrespectful to A Burial At Sea. This band and their music mean a hell of a lot to many people.

So how did they do? Pretty damn well considering. The first thing to praise is the sound, as the layers of A Burial at Sea’s music is showcased with effective aplomb. They can be summed up as a post-rock band with progressive depth and wandering levels of atmosphere. However, the bigger picture combines elements of shoegaze, post, math-metal, jazz, and brass. Utilising multiple guitars, a thick style of percussion, and making a trumpet an integral part of the experience. Elements that come through clearly and strongly.

It’s a surprise to hear their complex music, taken from their two albums; Self-titled and Close to Home captured so effectively in the live environment. It turns out that A Burial At Sea aren’t just an amazing band on record, they’re amazing live too.

Their latest album ‘Close to Home’ is one of the best records of 2024. I reviewed it, and summed it up as:

The kind of album that changes minds, creates fans, and makes this band even bigger.

You can read that review here.

So, hearing these tracks played live, the likes of GORSE BUSH ON FIRE, tor head, Hy-Brasil, and masterfred, is an absolute treat. Especially alongside first album classics like You Really Did Grow After All, Breezehome, and Nice from Afar, Far from Nice. There’s no shortage of brilliance on display musically, and their time on stage does fly by.

That being said, they do need to work on being a bit more engaging and a bit more interactive. They play with focus, barely speaking, and throwing out track after track, with very little room for breath. Before you’ve had time to let the last one sink in, the next is already off and rolling. It’s not a big complaint, as it’s easy to forget how young this band is, but it’s certainly an area that they can improve on going forward.

It was a good show though, that can’t be stressed enough, and they are an incredible band both on record and live. Hopefully, next time I see them perform, it will be amongst others who actually give a damn about them.