THE WEDDING Present, the long running British indie band led by songwriter David Gedge, hasd made many fine albums over the years, with 1991’s Seamonsters being among their best.
Seamonsters, produced by Steve Albini is one the band’s most guitar heavy works. Its dense sound, quiet/loud dynamics, and wall of sound guitars, is strongly influenced by the contemporary movements of grunge and the shoe-gaze style of British indie.
This makes it a fascinating time capsule of a time and place in early 1990s non-mainstream rock, but the quality of Gedge’s songwriting and his familiar themes of anxious love and struggling relationships ensure it remains both a definitive Wedding Present work and more than 20 years on, a wonderful listening experience.
Galway audiences will be able to enjoy the album live in concert when The Wedding Present perform Seamonsters at the Róisín Dubh on Saturday November 3.
However it would be a mistake to think of ‘The Weddos’ as a nostalgia act. They remain a going concern, their eighth studio album Valentina was released in March, and they will also perform songs from this album at the Galway show.
The band has performed at the SXSW Music Festival this year, as well as undertaking a world tour that has encompassed the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and now Europe.
Support is from Tokyo all-girl punk band TOQUIWA. Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, from the Ticket Desk at OMG, Shop Street (formerly Zhivago ), and The Róisín Dubh.