LIVE IN MANCHESTER: THE JAPANESE HOUSE DELIVER A REVERENT TOUR FINALE

LIVE REVIEW | THE JAPANESE HOUSE – MANCHESTER ALBERT HALL 10/05/24

Fresh from the stages of this years Coachella and following on from a massive arena support slot with The 1975 earlier this year, Amber Mary Bain – known better as The Japanese House – took to some of the UK’s most renowned live music venues for a more intimate affair. From Glasgow to Birmingham and London to Manchester; it was the acclaimed singer’s final stop in Manchester where we had the privilege of observing The Japanese House in all their glory.

The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)

Playing a jam-packed set list bundled with songs spanning an almost full decade of work, the set kicks in with ‘Touching Yourself‘ from their latest album effort, 2023’s In The End It Always Does. ‘Sad to Breathe‘, ‘Morning Pages‘, ‘Over There‘ and ‘Friends‘ also make a welcome appearance representing the artists second album. Well rehearsed picks from 2019’s debut album Good At Falling go down strong with fans; ‘Worms‘ ‘f a r a w a y‘ and ‘You Seemed So Happy‘. Seasoned favourites ‘Saw You In A Dream‘ and ‘Dionne‘ lead into the last song ‘Boyhood‘. Not one to leave early, however, and expectedly there’s time for an encore. Probably one of The Japanese House’s most beloved tracks ‘Still‘ welcomes Amber and her band back on stage before playing a brand new song ‘Smiley Face‘ and ending on a stunning high with ‘Sunshine Baby‘

The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)
The Japanese House (Bella Proudfoot/Northern Exposure)

A dynamic and unique artist, The Japanese House really need to be seen in a live setting to appreciate their diverse talent. A stripped back stage presence without the need for props or gimmicks, allows for the music to really shine and highlight all the highs amongst the vulnerabilities that Bain delivers so elegantly. As the final night on this short but sweet UK tour, Manchester’s stunning Albert Hall provides a sacred sort of ambience. Combined with the sound of over 2000 Mancunian voices echoing back every word, the night is nothing short of reverent.

The Japanese House will mostly be found stateside this year touring North America, however, they will return for their only announced UK festival appearance at this summers Reading and Leeds (23 – 25 August).