Mean Red Spiders

After enduring more of the irritatingly inane meanderings of MC Doc Pickles, the capacity crowd gave these reunited scene veterans (they also played Wavelength 01) a warm welcome. And deservedly so, as Mean Red Spiders confirmed they are a band richly deserving of greater recognition. They pulled out the stops here, with a seven-piece line-up that featured five guitarists on most numbers. The result was full-blooded neo-Spiritualized sonic grandeur with a shoegazing meets no wave feel. Bleating saxophone gave an avant-garde tinge, while the tambourine banging of singer Lisa Nighswander and the dry ice added a psychedelic vibe. Her vocals were a little overshadowed by the guitar blitzkrieg, but added another solid brick to their mesmerizing wall of sound.