Photos and Review by Max Stewart
England’s THE THE are a unique blend of catchy post-punk songs with deeply powerful lyrics. Led by Matt Johnson, their following has seemingly grown from their near 25-year absence in Atlanta. When they kicked off their U.S. tour at Atlanta’s Tabernacle, fans were ripe with anticipation in the wake of their first album in 24 years.
Their latest, Ensoulment, features Johnson alongside members James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keys), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). Johnson began the evening with a bold but ultimately gratifying move to an audience that he has not seen in years: he played the entire new record in its entirety to start the show. Sometimes when artists do this it falls flat, but The The brought a captivating sincerity to the performance and Johnson sort of had a Leonard Cohen vibe as he presented their latest release. As the band’s website states: “Encompassing characteristic topics ranging from love & sex, war & politics, life & death – to the meaning of what it is to be human in the 21st century – Ensoulment was written, demoed and mixed at Studio Cinéola in London, the base of THE THE’s main creative force, Matt Johnson.”
The second set was a masterclass in the musicality of the members, and a testament to how much they have been missed by fans. After “Uncertain Smile” the crowd got about as loud as I have heard it in the famed Atlanta venue, and you could tell that Johnson and the band were giddy and overwhelmed by the strong support. Seeing tunes like “Infected”, “This is the Day” and “Heartland” (complete with a U.S. flag backdrop at the “51st state” lyric portion) exceeded expectations and proved they are much sharper than some of their new wave / post-punk contemporaries.
We certainly hope that THE THE do not wait another 20+ years to tour again, but this performance will keep fans satisfied for a long while.
Set 1: New album, Ensoulment, in its entirety
Cognitive Dissident
Some Days I Drink My Coffee by the Grave of William Blake
Zen & the Art of Dating
Kissing the Ring of POTUS
Life After Life
I Want to Wake Up With You
Down by the Frozen River
Risin’ Above the Need
Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot
Where Do We Go When We Die?
I Hope You Remember (The Things I Can’t Forget)
A Rainy Day in May
Set 2:
Infected
Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
The Sinking Feeling
Heartland
The Whisperers
Love Is Stronger Than Death
August & September
Slow Emotion Replay
This Is the Day
Icing Up
Dogs of Lust
Sweet Bird of Truth
Lonely Planet
Encore:
Uncertain Smile
GIANT
