The solo act by the name of Three Month Sunset stood in the middle of the stage in all his glory, with his straggly, unkempt hair and a shirt displaying the word ‘SPAZ’ in capitals. What emerged from the speakers was however something totally unpredicted. The way the music just picked my thoughts up and whirled them around in a gentle but purposeful way was breathtaking. Three Month Sunset is also known as Gabe Lewis, and although he’s a multi-instrumentalist, in this project, he uses the guitar to make ambient sounds that sweeps the audience off their feet. The floor was littered with people who’d chosen to sit for the duration of his set. The pace of time in the cosy venue slowed as the heavenly choruses of notes filled the space. It has been quite awhile since I was entirely transfixed by a band, much less a one-man band.

In contrast to the shoegaz-ey sounds of Three Month Sunset, the raw, piercing synths of The Night Terrors really fit their name well. The four-piece had a couple of groovy rhythms, but none of them lasted as long as I wanted them to. The bass wasn’t too prominent either, even though it had rather wicked tunes. The one unique thing this band had was the theremin, an instrument that is played without being touched. Miles Brown, the bassist, played the instrument flawlessly, adjusting the pitch and volume with flair. The eerie sound it contributed to the music made me think of a techno Ghostbusters theme song, oddly enough. The stunning light show added to the dynamic of the stage, taking the shrill synths to a higher level.

Fresh back from their Japan tour, Laura seemed not to have changed one bit. Beginning with new album highlight, Bobik is in Amerika, they managed yet again to mesmerize the crowd with their captivating melodies and passionate climaxes. The audience was dotted with both fresh 18-year-olds and experienced oldies. A disruption was caused by two young’uns who decided to have a conversation over the noise, resulting in them being told off by a fan and asked to leave. After the pair had gone, the atmosphere returned back to what it was before, leaving no sign that it had been disturbed.

Like the theremin in The Night Terrors, it is quite unusual to see a cellist in a post-rock band. The melancholy that the cello added to Laura’s sound, however, is definitely one of the main things that sets Laura apart from other post-rock bands. It was beautifully executed by Carolyn Gannell, with tremolos and vibratos to add to the mood. The glockenspiel played by drummer David Gagliardi also made an entrance in a number of pieces from the album Mapping Your Dreams, such as We Should Keep This Secret and We Are Mapping Your Dreams. In Fugitive, the desolate voice of guitarist Andrew Chalmers also added to the exquisiteness of the sound. In addition to these three, there is also Nathan Biggin, who is in charge of the piano and synth in addition to playing the guitar, Ben Yardley, another guitarist, and Andrew Yardley, bassist and sampler-guy.

With a night filled with such divine music, what more can one ask for?