by Emily Meller

Cloud Control walk on stage in King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut with sheepish grins and a distinctly laid-back attitude.  The space is definitely “intimate,” or what I would call “tiny.” (NB – I referred to my room in the Strathclyde village as “quite spacious, really.”)  For the heavily layered sounds of Cloud Control, it worked wonders.  Decked out in an Adidas sweatsuit, at odds with his sweet melancholic vocals, Alistair Wright managed to have an arresting stage presence, the crowd singing right from opening song, “Scream Rave.”  Not an easy feat for a song with no lyrics.

Having dropped new album “Dream Cave” to mainly positive reviews in August this year, the Australian foursome still delivered a solid mix of “new and old” tracks, as promised by charismatic bassist Jeremy Kelshaw.  Opening with latest single “Dojo Rising,” Wright managed to remain pitch perfect while bending down to fix an equipment issue, for which Kelshaw gave him “mad props.”  It definitely felt less like a show and more like watching a practise session in their dimly lit garage.  A garage with smoke machines, of course.

Other singles, including “Gold Canary,”“Scar” and “There’s Nothing in the Water” from 2010 album ‘’Bliss Release’’ were executed with some great guitar-playing, smooth vocals and the right amount of jumping around to keep the dreamy sound exciting.  Swaying keyboardist and vocalist Heidi Lenffer killed it on tracks “Moonrabbit” and “The Smoke, That Feeling,” while drummer Ulrich Lenffer subtly amped up the energy at all the right moments.

Those who have never heard much of Cloud Control before might have felt a bit lost throughout the middle of the set, as their notoriously similar tracks tended to blend together.  But overall, this was the kind of gig that showcased Cloud Control’s music as more than mere indie-pop.   Fans are always rewarded for making an effort to experience them live, especially in super cosy, dorm-room sized venues.

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Cloud Control walk on stage in King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut with sheepish grins and a distinctly laid-back attitude.  The space is definitely “intimate,” or what I would call “tiny.” (NB – I referred to my room in the Strathclyde village as “quite spacious, really.”)  For the heavily layered sounds of Cloud Control, it worked wonders.  Decked out in an Adidas sweatsuit, at odds with his sweet melancholic vocals, Alistair Wright managed to have an arresting stage presence, the crowd singing right from opening song, “Scream Rave.”  Not an easy feat for a song with no lyrics.

Having dropped new album “Dream Cave” to mainly positive reviews in August this year, the Australian foursome still delivered a solid mix of “new and old” tracks, as promised by charismatic bassist Jeremy Kelshaw.  Opening with latest single “Dojo Rising,” Wright managed to remain pitch perfect while bending down to fix an equipment issue, for which Kelshaw gave him “mad props.”  It definitely felt less like a show and more like watching a practise session in their dimly lit garage.  A garage with smoke machines, of course.

Other singles, including “Gold Canary,”“Scar” and “There’s Nothing in the Water” from 2010 album ‘’Bliss Release’’ were executed with some great guitar-playing, smooth vocals and the right amount of jumping around to keep the dreamy sound exciting.  Swaying keyboardist and vocalist Heidi Lenffer killed it on tracks “Moonrabbit” and “The Smoke, That Feeling,” while drummer Ulrich Lenffer subtly amped up the energy at all the right moments.

Those who have never heard much of Cloud Control before might have felt a bit lost throughout the middle of the set, as their notoriously similar tracks tended to blend together.  But overall, this was the kind of gig that showcased Cloud Control’s music as more than mere indie-pop.   Fans are always rewarded for making an effort to experience them live, especially in super cosy, dorm-room sized venues.

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