The Murder Capital kick off ‘Gigi’s Recovery’ era with flawless set at Lafayette

In what felt like a whirlwind 24 hours, The Murder Capital have announced details of their second album Gigi’s Recovery, accompanied by its second single ‘A Thousand Lives’ and an enormous 2023 UK tour – which includes a stop at Leeds University Stylus. In the spirit of this flash flood of announcements, the band delivered an equally chaotic set at London’s magnificent new venue Lafayette, teasing fragments of their long-awaited follow-up to 2019’s When I Have Fears.

In the intimate yet elegant setting of Lafayette, the band returned to the stage with no support and no fanfare, getting on with it in a direct manner. ‘A Thousand Lives’ launched this new chapter just mere hours after its release, the crisp drum beat and haunting guitars weaving through the jam-packed room. Leagues apart from their first record, this clever, intense track demonstrates just why the wait was worth it. It’s a sign their second album will take them to uncharted waters, which leaves the challenge of drawing together a cohesive live set.

Immediately, they proved they were more than capable of that, almost seamlessly throwing it back to the raucous ‘More Is Less’, inciting chants of ‘More! More! More!’ around the room. In these two tracks, the tone was set for the night: a showcase of ambition and adventure intermingled with the identity and history of the band.

As was a testament to the cohesion of the performance, the live debuts of ‘We Had To Disappear’ and ‘Ethel’ may need to be heard in their full studio format in order to fully appreciate their novelty, yet it was a welcome treat. Particularly for the die-hard fans in the front row, who were joined momentarily by vocalist James McGovern during the middle of the set, before an inevitable crowd surf at the climax of ‘Don’t Cling To Life.’ 

However, the highlight of the night was crystal clear. The isolated bass and vocals of ‘On Twisted Ground’ was an emotional moment; tension, absolute focus and ‘not a breath of wind’.This is The Murder Capital in their purest, most honest form, taking showmanship and perfection to another level in a track that made time stand still. A flawless moment that epitomises the night, reminding us just why there is still such a buzz, three years on from their debut LP.

Gigi’s Recovery is bound to be unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. A bold, brilliant and dominant set which sets an astoundingly high bar for the 2023 headline tour. ‘Only Good Things’ are ahead for The Murder Capital.