Emperor X, Sing For Your Supper, Flashing Astraphes: Bold Street Coffee, Liverpool

By Peter Guy on Jul 19, 12 12:05 PM in Louden Up - Live reviews

Emperor X live at Bold Street Coffee, Liverpool Deep Hedonia.jpg
Emperor X brings his spontaneous mini spectacular singalongs to Bold Street Coffee, Getintothis' Mike Doherty joins the chorus of approval.

Take a quick snoop around the online world of Emperor X, you'll see he's no stranger to intimate surroundings.

In one video, he's surrounded by about 20 people in a tunnel singing the harmony to Bashling, in another he's singing in an empty car park.

Even the promoters of tonight's show got in on the act; a few hours before the show Deep Hedonia were rushing around the centre of Liverpool with Chad Matheny (the man behind the monkier of Emperor X) to film some spontaneous sessions before the night's show.

Later at Bold Street Coffee, the intimate surroundings continue with an early performance from Sing For Your Supper, aka, Lucy Mercer, one third of Stealing Sheep.

Her quiet tones (sometimes barely whispered) stun this coffee shop in to deferential silence. Flashing Astraphes offers ambient drones and mumbled lyrics that are equally as compelling.

As for Emperor X, his set quickly begins as he uses the shop's floor space to playfully dart towards the audience' his microphone still picks up his voice and provides a perfect reverb.

His guitar is a curious hybrid, comprising of a 6-string body, a 12-string headstock with 9 strings attached. The top string is broken and hanging loose.

Emperor X live at Bold Street Coffee, Liverpool.jpg
Emperor X live at Bold Street Coffee, Liverpool

Chad bashes out songs from his DIY back catalogue and choice cuts from his most recent album Western Teleport and on Erica Western Teleport he employs his favourite tactic; telling the audience how to sing along.

He's like a more lo-fi Postal Service, or a more technically able Jonah Matranga; their sweet, personal and (good) emo lyrics. Sure, he's not as well-known as Death Cab For Cutie or Far, but it should only be a matter of time.

Pictures by Conor McDonnell.

3 Comments

Ali Ingle said:

This guy is amazing ! Im so gutted i missed this. Is he playing in lpool again anytime soon ?

This guy is boss ! Is he on in liverpool again anytime soon ??

Deep Hedonia said:

We're hopefully going to bring him back over next year - keep your eyes peeled on our website!

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Getintothis Blogger

Peter Guy

Peter Guy

is at the forefront of Liverpool's independent music scene reporting & reviewing on the latest sounds in Merseyside and beyond.
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With a collection to rival a small record shop and a gig diary fit for any addled groupie, music is Peter Guy's religion. Working alongside the key players across Merseyside and the national music scene, Peter has edited the official Liverpool Sound City magazine The Liberator, been a media partner with Liverpool Music Week and covered festivals and industry showcases home and abroad. Getintothis is his irreverent insider's guide to Liverpool's music landscape and beyond.

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