Apparently there are Mondays that are nice. This Monday in late November definitely was! Hailing from Blackpool, Boston Manor were touring Europe the past weeks, supported by the Belgian band New Moon. On November 25th the show took place in Berlin.
At 8PM, New Moon takes to the stage. The shoegaze band is out for a dreamy vibe and encourages the audience to close their eyes so they can really feel the music. The vocals melt into the melodic guitar rhythms and the band members calmly move along to the sound. New Moon consists of six members who all play instruments in perfect harmony. The last song of the set starts a bit heavier and is generally faster than the ones before. The lighting adapts to it with heavy strobes which is a perfect transition to Boston Manor’s set, which starts shortly after New Moon gets off stage.
The band, lead by Henry Cox, start their show at 9PM and the crowd is highly energized from the first second. To this point the first few rows were still able to enjoy a bit of space to themselves but Cox advises everyone to push up and the first mosh pits ignite.
The first song, which is off the new album Sundiver, is called ‘Container’ and you wouldn’t be able to tell that the album had only been released in September 2024 – the crowd knows the lyrics! The singer states he is really proud of the album and it’s obvious he’s enjoying how it resonates with the audience. Sundiver is the half that completes the album-duo Sundiver and Datura and was set out to be a bit happier than the 2022 part, yet not too over the top. Boston Manor were able to manage this small but important ridge and it pays off.
Around ten, one of the new songs, ‘Fornix’, starts to play. Besides “I believe everyone is able to love” it also features the lyrics “It’s your birthday”; Henry Cox asks if there are some people in the audience celebrating their birthdays and dedicates the song to them. Surprisingly, there actually are some birthday celebrators in the crowd, some of which are already quite inebriated on both alcohol and great music.
One of the next songs is one of their most popular ones, ‘Halo’, off the 2018 album Welcome to the Neighborhood. Mosh pits form again and the crowd goes wild. The band is visibly enjoying their set tonight. The pride and joy in Cox’s eyes is clearly noticeable and he states this show is a “10/10” for him.
Sadly, all good things come to an end and this concert nears its finish, but not before another banger; ‘Foxglove’. This last song ends the night, wrapping up the band’s set nicely. Boston Manor ended their headline tour on December 1st in Sint-Niklaas but will be playing more shows early next year as support for Landmvrks or the almighty You Me At Six. Don’t miss it!
