London-based trio Daughter graced the stage at Brixton Academy last Thursday, greeting a sell-out crowd of just under 5,000. Usually consisting of just three band members, (singer / guitarist Elena Tonra, guitarist Igor Haefeli, and drummer Remi Aguilella) it was a treat to watch as a brass backing band took to the stage, along with multi-instrumentalist Cathy Lucas.
The night was filled with melancholy crescendos and atmospheric melodies, echoing up into the tiered stalls and across the packed masses. Tonra, all in black, gave a flawless performance rooted in the same spot – as did the majority of the band. Admitting to not being ready to look up, for me she lacked stage presence; and consequently the gig became all about the music alone.
Since their debut album in 2013 the band have built up a loyal following. The crowd seemed captivated by each and every song, including one extremely dedicated fan who screamed the words to every single song played. The rest of the audience met each song with a huge applause, giving firm favourite 'Youth' a collective mid-set appreciation. With lyrics like "And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones, 'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs. Setting fire to our insides for fun", Daughter keep things interesting in the way they talk about love and heartache. Amidst an ocean of unoriginal love song clichés, it’s refreshing to hear lyrics so raw and so original.
While most songs carried a lingering sense of sombre disdain, tracks like 'No Care' picked up the tempo and had several heads around us bobbing away to pacey percussion. 'Doing the Right Thing' brought with it a change in stage lighting, drowning the venue in red – perhaps a reflection of the horror of the song’s actual subject. Lyrically, Tonra paints a picture of loss and loneliness; places reached from the perspective of a sufferer of Alzheimers observing their own state of mind.
'Medicine' was one of the band’s chosen encores, another big hit with their fans. Tonra once said that a fan told her what this song meant to her, nearly making her cry. As with most of their tracks, the meaning hasn’t been revealed in order to leave interpretation up to the listener, and always seems to give me a strong emotional tug. The song trails off in waves of whispers and velvety soft coos, wrapping up a classy performance from one of the most understated bands I’ve ever seen.
FUTURE GIGS
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