LIVE REVIEW: black midi at The Majestic
review by Quentin Holle, photos by Amany Khreis
Going into the black midi concert at the Majestic this Tuesday, I knew very little about black midi, having only listened to their spectacular 2021 rock album Cavalcade. I was purely a casual fan, but after the experience that black midi provided, I’m far more than that.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the concert, but it met and exceeded any expectations that I had. I’ve gone to many concerts over the years, but in my opinion, black midi was possibly the best concert I have ever been to.
To start off the night, black midi immediately barraged the audience with their hardcore rock sound. It was instantly obvious to me just how talented the whole band was.
Geordie Greep, lead vocalist/guitarist for the band, delivered an amazing performance for the entire night. His vocals were incredibly dynamic. During tracks like “John L,” Greep delivered a rousing spoken word performance. On the unreleased track “The Defence,” the audience was met with a beautiful vocal ballad. In the finale, “Slow,” Greep provided harrowing screamed vocals. Geordie Greep is one of the most talented vocalists I’ve ever had the privilege to hear live. His mastery of these three distinct vocal styles was unmatched.
The saxophone performance by Kaidi Akinnibi was stunning. I would never have expected to love the sound of a saxophone in a hard-rock context, but Akinnibi’s performance showed me that my assumption was wrong. Like a shoegaze guitarist, Akinnibi constantly changed the sound of his saxophone using floor pedals. Throughout the performance he transitioned from more traditional sax sounds on quieter tracks, to an intense sound that barely resembled a saxophone on heavier tracks. One of my favorite moments during the night was a call-and-answer between the saxophone and the audience on the track “Chondromalacia Patella”. Akinnibi would make a screaming noise with his saxophone and the audience would scream back.
On drums was Morgan Simpson, who tied the band all together. I couldn’t believe how talented he was. His intense complex drum rhythms and syncopations were spectacular.
Playing bass and delivering some background vocals was Cameron Picton, who shook the entire building with his heavy bass lines that helped intensify each track throughout the night.
Finally, on keyboard, was Seth Evans. I loved his use of dual keyboards: one for musical sounds and another for sound effects. I adored his performance, especially on the track “Speedway,” where he played random notes on his keyboard to create a ton of dissonance in the band’s sound.
black midi expertly manipulated their music during their concert. I loved the band’s use of tempo to craft their sound. During the opening track, “953,” the band started off slow and continued to speed up more and more until the track was ridiculously fast. The band’s use of silence during a few tracks, like “John L” added a lot of suspense. I loved their utilization of dissonance as well, which added an eerie and uncanny feeling to their music. black midi’s sound was wholly unique and unmatched by any sound I have ever heard before. black midi constantly transitioned between different musical styles without missing a beat. I loved their hardcore rock tracks and their beautiful ballads equally.
One of the best parts of the concert was the energy that black midi brought to the table. I didn’t expect much out of a rainy Tuesday evening, but black midi delivered. Up in the front of the venue, fangirls of the band screamed whenever they saw lead vocalist Geordie Greep, as if they just saw Harry Styles. Around the periphery of the room were older men, who absolutely loved black midi’s sound. I’m assuming most of them were holdouts from the rock music of days past, à la King Crimson and Yes. In the middle of the room were all of the college students, who moshed and jumped around throughout the show. I’ve never been to a concert that was filled with energy like this one. The brutal rock sound of black midi and the amazing performance by every member of the band brought the crowd's energy to an unbelievable level.
I’m usually into funk music, and I don’t provide much thought into rock most times, but this concert was spectacular. black midi has quickly become my favorite rock band. They’re truly something special.
favorite moments / tracks of the night
black midi’s concert intro, which was presented like a WWE walkup
the super unique dominant rhythm in “speedway”
geordie greep’s beautiful vocals on “the defence”
he definitely doesn’t get enough credit for how talented he is as a singer
i cannot wait for this track to release
saxophone call-and-answer on “chondromalacia patella”
geordie greep’s rabid screams on the finale track “slow”