Cerberus Shoal, North Cross + more @ Stereo, Saturday 21st May

CERBERUS SHOAL

Alternating between something resembling The B52s jamming with Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa attempting half-finished Yes covers, Cerberus Shoal are the musical equivalent of the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow. The obvious structural comparison is Godspeed You Black Emperor!, but Cerberus Shoal have been doing this long enough to be considered their contemporaries
From ethereal-emo to hippie-prog; Cerberus Shoal, in the beginning, took the intricate guitar line characteristic of emo and stretched it, creating 10-minute epics buoyed by shimmering feedback and muted trumpet tones. Afterwards, the band saw the first of many lineup changes. Their next project, two improvisations set to films made by collaborator Tim Folland, lacked the previous album's impassioned vocals but made up for it with a sublime patience that made these 20-minute jams actually work.
Now, with 9 full length releases, each more different than the last, Indie purists may get slightly annoyed at the recent lengthy forays into abstract performance art, but Cerberus Shoal certainly get full marks for originality and for doing the experimental thing with style and a real sense of drama.
This is most definitely one of those shows you will kick yourself if you miss.


NORTH CROSS

A collective of musicians from the Manchester area performing ramshackle and almost entirely improvised pieces, drawn out droning vocals over very loosely played orchestrated folk-ish noise. Perhaps akin to Boxhead Ensemble, Sigur Ros or Black Heart Procession. For those who loved their set at Bar Bloc with Our Beautiful Ridiculous Plan and Mesa Verde, be prepared to be even more impressed as this performance will be with their full line-up! They may also be jamming with some well known musicians from various Glasgow bands.

+ 1 more mystery guest

Sat 21st May
Stereo, Kelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow