Lorelle Meets The Obsolete / Thraa @ Ramsgate Music Hall, 24th September 2023
Way back in April of 2023 one of my favourite music venues on the planet, Ramsgate Music Hall, in Kent, announced that they would be hosting another of their now infamous Mother Brain series of events. This time though, the fifth instalment would be hosting the Mexican outfit Lorelle Meets The Obsolete. Not only that, but support would be from the proverbial new drone kids on the block, Manchester duo Thraa. Completely unaware of either band, but fully aware of just how incredible every Mother Brain event has been, I grabbed a ticket, and ever since have been tentatively waiting for the event to come around.
Not wanting to over-saturate myself, I’ve spent the last few months holding off fully exposing myself to either band and have left it somewhat as a surprise as to just how the evening would turn out. I’m so glad I did, because what it meant when the time finally came, and I got to witness both acts, neither of them disappointed at all. It was absolutely the reverse, and instead, I had one of the most engaging, and uplifting evenings of my adult life.
If you are unaware of the Ramsgate Music Hall, it is a grassroots venue, who never shy away from putting on the most diverse, and eclectic roster of bands the planet has to offer. Even in my time of attending, I have seen such a wide array of acts, from the mighty Ohhms, BIG|BRAVE, and USA Nails, to A.A.Williams, Johanna Warren, and Freya Beer, to name a few. Proudly pushing the envelope, the venue has over the last couple of years started working with Mother Brain Bookings to bring a harder edged collection of bands, so for this fifth instalment, the vibe was quite vastly different to what has been presented previously.
With that in mind, interest and optimism was high, but I wasn’t even prepared for just how good the evening was going to be. Considering it was a Sunday evening, there was a really great turnout and I think each and every soul inside was treated to an evening which will be unforgettable for a long time to come.
Thraa made a sound so big, that it would bring down stadiums…
Opening act Thraa are a duo from Manchester, who are so new to the table, that if you are already aware of them, you will already know just what a promising act they are. If you don’t, now is the time to jump on board, as they are going places. Sound wise, there’s a large amount of guitar drone going on, but if you listen between the lines, I think you will be pleasantly surprised to hear splatterings of both Emma Ruth Rundle and BIG|BRAVE style vibes in the mix.
It was absolutely engaging to see them perform with the minimum of fuss, Thraa made a sound so big, that it would bring down stadiums. Leaving the audience begging for more they bring such a feeling of heritage to their performance, it is insane to believe they’ve only been performing for around a year.
By complete contrast, Lorelle Meets The Obsolete are now six albums into their career, with the newest album Datura having been released in June 2023. The band, who are now firmly into their second decade of music, are showing no signs of slowing down, and when not out working on solo projects, they can come together, release absolutely awe-inspiring albums, and take them out on the road and leave audiences absolutely spellbound in their mesmerising beauty.
Tonight is no different either. Part shoegaze, part experimental, a little dance, and a lot of heavier psychedelia moments are mixed in such a way that from start to finish, every second is filled with sound. I’ve never overly had electronics in my favourites list when it comes to music, so this is a revelation for me.
Part shoegaze, part experimental, a little dance, and a lot of heavier psychedelia moments…
While I like a lot of industrial and sampled elements in what I listen to, I’m not the biggest fan of droning dance vibes. With this though, I’m absolutely mesmerised. Lorelle Meets The Obsolete do something which feels somewhat familiar, but in a way that is so different. It is hypnotising, and being witness to such an event was worth every second of waiting without having an already full understanding of who they are.
Every moment they are on stage is a pleasure, and to watch such an intense performance look so effortless is a revelation. The setlist is a fantastic mix of both new tunes and obvious fan favourites, and there are times where the line between the band and the audience becomes so blurred, that its hard to fully describe just how deep into the audiences’ souls they get. It’s somewhat primal, intoxicating, and to see the crowd writhing to the soundtrack is an otherworldly experience indeed.
The fuzzy guitar, Lorena’s (Lorena Quintanilla) haunting vocal, and the tidal back and forth of the backline section as they sway through the air, gives such a dizzying high, that it is impossible not to get caught up in it all, and by the climax of the set, it’s hard to believe its all over.
From it all, and the general outpouring since, the unified response has been that what we witnessed really was something magical, and I can’t disagree. Coming away from the evening, it has left an impression on my heart, and even now, as I write this, I can still feel the music of the evening pulsing through me.
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete were absolutely mesmerising, Thraa were a revelation, and overall, another incredible evening was had at the Ramsgate Music Hall by all.
Words & Photos by: Lee Beamish
