The Slow Show is a British indie-pop musical collective, formed in Manchester, UK in 2012, following a chance meeting between frontman Robert Goodwin and pianist and producer Frederik ‘T Kindt at Blueprint Studios. Although Goodwin at the time was playing guitar for another band, they bonded “over their love of orchestras, brass bands and film music”.
Between this meeting and the moment the world stood still in 2020, the 4-piece had an amazing eight years. From their breakthrough ‘White Water’ on, it was clear The Slow Show was not ‘just another band from Manchester.’ The legacy of The Smiths, Joy Division and all those other great predecessors is not something to be trifled with, but The Slow Show didn’t need to wear their address on their sleeve: this was something else, fully formed, with a mesmerising sound, rich in atmosphere, melody and poetry, with hints of The National. Americana with a stiff upper lip, you might want to call it.
Today, The Slow Show isn’t even a Manchester band anymore. How could it be, with guitarist Joel Byrne-McCullough born and bred in Northern Ireland, ‘t Kindt originating from Belgium. Since 2019, singer Rob Goodwin even lives in Dusseldorf, Germany, where the band have always found a lot of welcoming arms. It was the Haldern Pop-label that gave the band its first opportunities, releasing ‘White Water’ in 2015 to great acclaim. The press loved the intricate melodies, sweeping songs like ‘God Only Knows’ and ‘Brother’. When ‘Dream Darling’ followed, only a year later, the band had already reached a next step: playing bigger crowds all over Europe.
On third album ‘Lust And Learn’, The Slow Show took a left turn. There, the unusual mix of influences came into focus. Of course, you still hear Goodwin’s knack for classic song writing, but also ‘t Kindt’s classical education, in pieces like ‘Amend’ or ‘Breath:Air’, or Byrne-McCullough’s jazz-upbringing. And on ‘Brother’, you already might have picked up on drummer Chris Hough’s background in brass bands. ‘Lust And Learn’ was rich in detail, replacing big gestures with small, beautiful movements.
And then in 2022. ‘Still Life’. Same but different again. Still beautiful. Still The Slow Show. ‘We did develop our sound’, says Goodwin. ‘We had to try something else. We felt we owed that to ourselves, and to the people that come and enjoy the music. We explored a lot of stuff: different sounds, different feelings, different ideas, different processes as well. Some of them didn’t work at all, but some did. It was difficult and challenging, but it felt good in the end.’ And then you hear it, indeed. This is no longer the alt-rock band of ‘White Water’ and ‘Dream Darling’. Those albums had big songs, with hooks and choruses. And where ‘Still Life’ keeps the subtle tapestries of third album ‘Lust And Learn’, it also lurches forward, searching for new territories.
With a new album in the works and an extensive UK and European tour planned for Autumn 2023 The Slow Show continue to leave their mark on their loyal and ever expanding assembly of fans, their SUBTLE LOVE-rs.
The Slow Show is:
● Rob Goodwin (guitar, vocals)
● Frederik ‘t Kindt (keyboards)
● Joel Byrne-McCullough (guitar)
● Chris Hough (drums)
A standing show. On sale 9am 24th Feb.
Artists on stage: 7.30pmCurfew: 11.00pm
Stage: The Venue