The Last Internationale @ Deaf Institute, Manchester 15/04/23 – ‘They Will Reign’
After a couple of postponed gigs during the covid era, The Last Internationale finally made it back to Manchester, armed with fiery new album ‘Running For a Dream’, released only a couple of weeks earlier.
This was a gig I was highly anticipating after being left disappointed from the enforced rescheduling. It seemed I wasn’t the only one, as a completely packed Deaf Institute awaited the New Yorkers’ combative blues rock concoctions.
They blaze straight out of the blocks in a fit of fury with ‘Killing Fields’, taken from their debut album, ‘We Will Reign’. Lead singer Delila Paz is on top form, looking as striking as ever in black and gold sequins, loaded with energy, owning the stage as she struts and shakes around it. Her vocals are on point and threaten to bring the roof crashing down when her full soulful range is demonstrated.
‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Indian Blood’ follows, another bombarding track packed with face melting riffs and thunderous basslines. The two openers follow a subject of revolution and anti-establishment (as do many other songs in their repertoire), and Delila relays that mindset to the crowd, saying how she’s heard of the protests and strikes going on in England at the moment, and that she’s in full support of it. She endears herself further to the Mancunian crowd by saluting the working-class nature of our city, ending with a poetic line about our people and her own mentality, ‘We all fly economy together, or first class together.’
That attitude extends to how they approach the business side of the industry. They confess they go it alone these days, after being let down several times from labels they’ve signed to. That outlook is admirable, embodying the very fighting spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, having battled their way through two exceptional albums since that decision was made.
‘Soul on Fire’ is a track born out of that period of uncertainty in their career and is particularly captivating with its nod to legends of the past, with special mention to Nina Simone as the song peaks and the instruments halt, leaving Delila’s gospel a cappella the only sound that percolates the atmosphere, like a preacher wailing in a church full of quiet observers waiting for a sign of inspiration. Delila provides that!
Edgey Pires on lead is a supremely accomplished guitarist, who’s creations are nothing short of mesmeric, always guaranteeing a foot stomp and head bang when in full flow. His innovative guitar work at the finale of most songs is sensational, which is a key staple of a typical Last Internationale composition, to end with riffs that assault the senses and leave you wanting more.
The keyboard comes out for some toned-down tracks taken across the three albums. ‘Running For a Dream’ is a standout one from the new album that is a beautifully crafted blues rock song that tugs at the heartstrings.
The keys are dispensed with for the band’s most notable tune, ‘Wanted Man’, the track that got me into them in the first place many moons ago. It’s cool in nature, with a darkness to it that’s coupled with a compelling western style twang that makes it sound like something out of a Tarantino film. It goes down a storm as the crowd sing back the lyrics.
‘Hard Times’ and ‘1968’ round off proceedings, two songs with pace, power and enormous grooves to create a thumping finale. Delilah goes into the crowd halfway through, and I mean into the crowd. Not content with settling at the front, she’s up in the stands at the back, eventually mounting the bar to the side, keeping the crowd buzzing before she audaciously stage dives into the adorning fan base to cap off a fantastic show.
They are called back for an encore where they play the hard-hitting ‘Hit Em With Your Blues’. Delila invites several members of the audience onto the stage to join in with the rock antics for the final act. Many oblige and dance behind her, singing the lyrics into the mic when she prompts them. It all adds to the tremendous showmanship Delila possesses and serves as an entertaining way to end the show.
This is a band I’ve loved ever since I was introduced to ‘Wanted Man’ back in 2016, and I’m so pleased to have finally got to see them. Make no mistake about it, they are absolutely phenomenal and are deserving of so much more. Bigger venues are surely on the horizon in the UK as this is stadium rock on a par with the likes of Rival Sons and Greta Van Fleet. They have had recognition, as music has appeared on TV shows and they have had some eye catching support slots in the past, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were to fulfil what’s coming to them.
If you like a band with colossal stage presence, big vocals, powerful riffs, profound lyrics around revolution, anti-establishment and anti-authority, then look no further than the blues rock forays of The Last Internationale.
Setlist
Killing Fields
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Indian Blood
Mind Ain't Free
Fire
1984
Hero
Soul on Fire
Running for a Dream
Wanted Man
Hard Times
1968
Encore
Hit 'em With Your Blues
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Photos by David Pickles. Please ask for use before using.