Live Concert Photography: Dry Cleaning with Control Top at Saint Vitus Bar 3/6/20
With the release of their critically applauded debut EP Sweet Princess, the London-based post punk quartet Dry Cleaning — Florence Shaw (vocals), Lewis Maynard (bass), Nick Buxton (drums) and Tom Dowse (guitar) — exploded into the national and international scene for a unique, art school take on post punk centered around Shaw’s absurdist, cut and paste-like lyrics, angular guitars and motorik-like grooves.
The act which brings together longtime friends Maynard, Buxton and Dowse recruited Shaw, who at the time was a university lecturer and photo researcher to take up vocal duties in 2017. And although up until then, she had never performed on a stage, she always kept lists — of neuroses, daily annoyances, advertising copy and the like — with the idea that she’d use them for her own creative work. Interestingly, the material comments on the mundanity of social media and social anxiety while extracting something touching, tragic and awkward.
Earlier this month, the British post punk band headlined an early set at Saint Vitus Bar with Philadelphia–based post-punk trio Control Top. Check out photos from that show below.
With the release of their full-length debut Covert Contracts, the Philadelphia-based post-punk trio Control Top — Ali Carter (vocals, bass), Al Creedon (guitar, sampler) and Alex Lichtenauer (drums) — exploded into the national scene: their debut landed on the Top Albums of 2019 lists of NPR, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, Bandcamp Daily, Highsnobiety and others. and they were featured on Pitchfork Rising. Before they released their The Go-Gos and Gang of Four-like “we can get through this together” anthem “One Good Day,” the Philadelphia-based post punk trio were touring with rapidly rising post-punk/art rockers, playing blistering renditions of Covert Contracts‘ material live.
For these photos and more, check out the Flickr set here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmM8isrc
