Pegasus Bridge, 2002–September 2011
Sitting underneath a rainy and autumnal Manchester sky, below Oxford Road Station, the atmosphere in Sound Control was far from cold and negative. The venue was filled to bursting with fans, friends and parents, all of them growing with excitement. This was to be the final state of play from Pegasus Bridge. Supporting them on this last stand were The Cape Race and Morain.
Upon arrival, The Cape Race were only one or two tracks in and already had the crowd jumping, singing and waving. The front man seemed to have an unlimited supply of energy, jumping across the stage, clapping along to his songs and belting the lyrics into the microphone. Songs that really stuck in my mind as giving me shivers were 'They're Young, They're in Love' and their latest single, 'The Reprieve'. The passion with which every member performed was so refreshing to see. Too often, I find myself listening to music thinking that, in theory, the performers are talented, but that something is missing. The Cape Race left nothing to be desired and delivered tasty music, the equivalent of a Michelin starred meal. After they finished, I understood what real musical talent was (and it turns out it isn't found on the X-Factor). I highly encourage you to get their album, 'Now, Voyager' by any means. You can find it on iTunes.
What I loved about this gig was that it felt like a school reunion. I missed most of Morain's set, as I was catching up with the last couple of years and with friends whom I hadn't seen in those years. I suppose this is a shame, because I've just downloaded 'Animals' off iTunes and it really is crackingly good. Heavy drums, dancey guitar frills and a fantastically sing-along-able chorus. "We're only animals. We're just passing time!"
Referred to as 'the funeral' by both Alex and Tom from the band, this was to be Pegasus Bridge's last moment of glory, their "going out with a bang", their final stand. And from the first couple of bars of 'Heartstrings' (their opener), it was clear that this would be a very special gig. Oddly, and although this was the end, there was nothing sad about the show. Ed, Alex, Cal and Tom all played their songs perfectly, involved the crowd with sing-ins and danced on stage, making this final show something good to remember. Heartstings was the perfect choice of first song, the lyrics "Just think what it might be like to live like this every night" acting as an opener and almost as a reason for their split. The energy with which they played their first track continued throughout the gig, dipping only for the slower songs and for their older hits.
When they burst into 'Like Dogs' about three songs in, there were that many people humming the guitar riff that I couldn't hear the actual guitar. The gig was filled with passionate moments like this and these are impossible to recreate on any recording. To be part of it and to witness the skill of each member of the band chipping together to create great music was just incredible.
The last two songs were a reminder to everyone that this was the end. Finishing with 'Ribena' was genius, the chorus suggesting a deeper meaning to the lyrics. No longer were the band saying we're older than we used to be, but as with their first track, they seemed to offer 'Ribena' as a reason for the split. This was almost as if they were telling the audience that the dream of the band is over, but that it was the best dream they'd ever had and that it was now time to look to the future.
In terms of a send off, last night's gig was a textbook example of how a band should say goodbye to their fans. There seemed to only be good feelings both on and off the stage, and all who were there left knowing that they had had a monumentally good night. I will keep the memory of a room filled with250 up to 600 fans jumping in time to 'Ribena' for a long time. I remember seeing this band play to less than ten people on a number of occasions. They had made it for a brief moment and I feel so proud with what they have all achieved.
Well done, and thank you Pegasus Bridge. We all had a ball and I hope you did to.
Upon arrival, The Cape Race were only one or two tracks in and already had the crowd jumping, singing and waving. The front man seemed to have an unlimited supply of energy, jumping across the stage, clapping along to his songs and belting the lyrics into the microphone. Songs that really stuck in my mind as giving me shivers were 'They're Young, They're in Love' and their latest single, 'The Reprieve'. The passion with which every member performed was so refreshing to see. Too often, I find myself listening to music thinking that, in theory, the performers are talented, but that something is missing. The Cape Race left nothing to be desired and delivered tasty music, the equivalent of a Michelin starred meal. After they finished, I understood what real musical talent was (and it turns out it isn't found on the X-Factor). I highly encourage you to get their album, 'Now, Voyager' by any means. You can find it on iTunes.
What I loved about this gig was that it felt like a school reunion. I missed most of Morain's set, as I was catching up with the last couple of years and with friends whom I hadn't seen in those years. I suppose this is a shame, because I've just downloaded 'Animals' off iTunes and it really is crackingly good. Heavy drums, dancey guitar frills and a fantastically sing-along-able chorus. "We're only animals. We're just passing time!"
Referred to as 'the funeral' by both Alex and Tom from the band, this was to be Pegasus Bridge's last moment of glory, their "going out with a bang", their final stand. And from the first couple of bars of 'Heartstrings' (their opener), it was clear that this would be a very special gig. Oddly, and although this was the end, there was nothing sad about the show. Ed, Alex, Cal and Tom all played their songs perfectly, involved the crowd with sing-ins and danced on stage, making this final show something good to remember. Heartstings was the perfect choice of first song, the lyrics "Just think what it might be like to live like this every night" acting as an opener and almost as a reason for their split. The energy with which they played their first track continued throughout the gig, dipping only for the slower songs and for their older hits.
When they burst into 'Like Dogs' about three songs in, there were that many people humming the guitar riff that I couldn't hear the actual guitar. The gig was filled with passionate moments like this and these are impossible to recreate on any recording. To be part of it and to witness the skill of each member of the band chipping together to create great music was just incredible.
The last two songs were a reminder to everyone that this was the end. Finishing with 'Ribena' was genius, the chorus suggesting a deeper meaning to the lyrics. No longer were the band saying we're older than we used to be, but as with their first track, they seemed to offer 'Ribena' as a reason for the split. This was almost as if they were telling the audience that the dream of the band is over, but that it was the best dream they'd ever had and that it was now time to look to the future.
In terms of a send off, last night's gig was a textbook example of how a band should say goodbye to their fans. There seemed to only be good feelings both on and off the stage, and all who were there left knowing that they had had a monumentally good night. I will keep the memory of a room filled with
Well done, and thank you Pegasus Bridge. We all had a ball and I hope you did to.
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