One of Russia’s foremost shoegaze bands, Pinkshinyultrablast (PSUB), are currently touring the UK in support of their new album, Miserable Miracles, which releases on the 4th of May. On the first leg of their tour, they performed at the Broadcast in Glasgow on the 2nd of May. This was a great chance to listen to some of the band’s new songs for the very first time.
The Broadcast is situated on Sauchiehall Street, opposite The Garage. The venue has hosted countless bands since it opened in 2012 and notable acts who have played there before include Suburban Legends and Electric Century. A winding staircase leads you down to a compact basement with benches on the sides, a small bar and the stage. The lighting is atmospheric and it creates an intimate mood. Overall the Broadcast felt like a modern, chic place to be.
Supporting them were Glasgow locals The Cherry Wave. Playing an energetic and pounding set, they were the perfect foil to PSUB’s soothing, dream-like performance.
Pinkshinyultrablast started their career ten years ago, in February 2008, at the Honey Money Club in St. Petersburg. Originally from Russia, the members of the band have moved to Los Angeles to experience the different musical landscape. After the success of their previous albums, Everything Else Matters and Grandfeathered, their music has taken on a sound more inspired by dream pop and electronic. Taking inspiration from J-Pop artists such as Chiemi Manabe and Yellow Magic Orchestra and combining it with their Cocteau Twins-esque shoegaze, their music is an energetic and eclectic mixture of pleasant melodies and upbeat rhythms to dance to.
Pinkshinyultrablast opened with Dance AM, a song from their new album, having released the music video a few days prior. The song set the mood for the night and it was a strong introduction to their new material.
They transitioned into Taleidoscope, also from their new album, a psychedelic track. The next song was the single In The Hanging Gardens, released in February 2018. The audience recognised the track as it started, cheering as the room was enraptured in dreamy 80’s synth.
Pinkshinyultrablast played Umi right after, a track from their 2015 album Everything Else Matters. Long time fans of the band were rewarded with a range of songs spanning PSUB’s entire career.
Triangles, another new song followed, with its hypnotic melody and atmosphere. The band once again went back to their original sounds with Ravestar Supreme, then moved onto Find Your Saint, another song from their new album. The rubberbanding between their previous work and their new album created a sense of nostalgia and excitement for the future at once.
After thanking the fans and mentioning this was their second time in Glasgow, PSUB dedicated the end of the set to previously released songs. I was pleasantly surprised when they played Blaster, the opening track from their first EP Happy Songs For Happy Zombies (musical references in album titles being something of a recurring theme for them).
Metamorphosis followed, an appropriate piece to describe the transcendent nature of the performance, and the audience who were transported with them. This fast pace was carried on through the track Holy Forest, a rapid number that energised the crowd.
They concluded the gig on a strong note with The Cherry Pit, from their previous album Grandfeathered.
Their performance was spellbinding. Lyubov danced on stage as she sang, seemingly lost in her world, leaving the audience captivated. Roman’s guitarwork was exquisite, the melodies weeping from his fingertips; while Rustam resembled nothing so much as a keyboard wizard, the synthesiser notes flowing harmoniously and never missing their mark. Together, their performance can be described in one word – otherworldly.
Live Review and Photography by Federica La Marca of Pinkshinyultrablast at Broadcast, Glasgow on 2nd of May 2018.
