Maybeshewill are an exceedingly difficult band to categorise: they tend to be labelled under the broad umbrella of ‘post-rock,’ though their influences from metal, electronic music and media scoring are equally as essential to their sound. Returning to perform in Nottingham for the first time in eleven years, the group thus saw fit to tour alongside Bossk, who’s mix of crushing metal riffs and ambient passages are suitably close to Maybeshewill’s sound. The result was one of the most diverse and surprising concerts in recent memory, with only the intense emotional quality and top-notch performances tying the three acts together.

Lys Morke took to the stage to an incomplete— and rather sodden— audience, as the poor weather hadn’t done anyone any favours. The trio’s technical set-up was intriguing, replacing the expected drums and other natural instruments with a range of MIDI controllers and other electronic tools: the reason for this soon became clear as the opener, ‘Fleeting Feeling,’ transitioned from its ominous spoken intro into a techno-pop odyssey. Frontwoman Irene Talló’s powerful vocals (reminiscent of Florence + the Machine) were a real treat, especially as they were layered up live into a gothic, nightmarish soundscape, and the addition of strange synths and unconventional percussion rounded everything out nicely.

Lys Morke’s sound is based around these dark aesthetics, and they were complimented wonderfully by a series of harrowing images and clips projected behind the group: from manipulated footage of insects to an unedited video of a snake killing a rabbit, the group had not held back on the brutality, adding another layer of immersiveness and even terror to the performance. That’s not to take anything away from the infectious techno rhythms that permeated the set, however, which hit hard thanks to the show’s immaculate mixing. The group were, admittedly, an unusual choice to open a metal show, and some audience members were justifiably confused at the inclusion. What cannot be denied, however, is the intoxicating atmosphere that Lys Morke brought throughout their 30 minute set: with a debut EP ‘KNIFE THERAPY’ set to release later this year, the band are definitely one to watch going forward.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Following shortly after, Bossk brought the heavier sound that many audience members were expecting, quickly becoming a real crowd favourite. Maybeshewill’s Matthew Daly opened the show with a touching piano suite complimented by atmospheric lighting, but Simon Wright and company quickly turned up the energy on opener ‘Pickup Artist,’ launching into a dissonant riff guaranteed to get you head banging. The live mix was phenomenal, hitting you with a crushing wall of sound at every crescendo: on cuts such as ‘Menhir’ or ‘HTV-3,’ the sound was weighing you down, like attending a show at the bottom of the ocean. Similarly, the band were in top form, with Wright’s gigantic vocals surely being some of the most monstrous and foreboding that Rescue Rooms has ever seen.

The group’s dynamic and emotional range were also a spectacle as guitarists Rob Vaughan and Dean Rowbotham (who seamlessly filled in) transitioned between distorted and clean playing without a hitch. More meditative passages came to define this gig and Bossk are masters of building tension (often before releasing it into yet another brutal breakdown): ‘Atom Smasher,’ despite its title, was a truly gorgeous moment in the set before closer ‘Lira’ ended things on a suitably impassioned note. The group wasted no time on introductions or fanfare, leaving the stage one-by-one in the same nonchalant manner they entered with. The music spoke for itself, proving that a ticket to see Bossk is always worth springing for.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Finally, the long-awaited return of Maybeshewill was at hand as the band walked out to a thunderous response. Sinking into ‘Opening’ quite comfortably, the group were in top form: drummer James Collins made his mark with a number of impressive polyrhythms and satisfying grooves, though the entire band were just as mesmerising to watch. What was perhaps even more striking than this, however, was the heaviness that Maybeshewill had infused into their live set: though the group were not blowing the speakers out in the same way as Bossk, their guitar tones and performances were clearly much grittier and more hard-hitting than you might hear from their studio output, breathing new life into classic hits.

This greater intensity shone through in the band’s more emotional moments as well— on fan favourite ‘Not For Want Of Trying,’ for example, the band could be seen shouting along to the ‘mad as hell’ speech, even as the audience was doing the same. Closer ‘He Films The Clouds Pt.2’ was another standout moment, ending the gig on a perfectly poignant and bittersweet note. The group proved, more than anything, how much they care about their music, about their fans, and about connecting with everyone in the room— really, there was nothing more you could have asked for.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​All three acts had clearly brought their A-game to Rescue Rooms this time, ensuring that not a single fan went home without a smile on their face. Though the unconventional lineup of acts and the lack of crowd interaction may have raised a few eyebrows, the gig was an undeniable triumph, capturing the spirit of live music perfectly. If any of these three acts tour across the UK again, you can bet you’ll find me there.