BLACK MIDI
TINA KORHONEN
VENUE THE VILLAGE UNDERGROUND, LONDON
DATE 08/03/2023
On what is one of the coldest nights of the year so far, it’s a strange testament to Black Midi to see a hoodie being flung with wild abandon from one side of the venue to the other. But then again, is it any weirder than seeing one chap standing in the smoking area outside wearing just a vest on his torso as freezing rain lashes down from the sky? “It’s a bit cold,” he tells astonished ticket holders as they make their way into the cavernous environs of the Village Underground.
Perhaps this is a bizarre preparation as Black Midi bring Hellfire – their third album – to vivid life on the last of four sold-out shows, where each is focused on each of the albums they’ve released thus far plus a “mystery” night. Whatever it may be, what is abundantly clear is the level of devotion aimed at the band from their dedicated constituency. From the moment they hit the first note, the venue erupts; there’s no contemplative beard stroking over their musical merits or the meaning of it all here, but an unrestrained physical reaction that sees a frenzy of jumping and moshing. Make no mistake; the temperature inside is whacked right up.