East India Youth @ NAC, Norwich
It’s the quieter, more intimate spots that stick in the mind.
From a Mercury-nominated first album, to gigs attended by Brian Eno, East India Youth (real name William Doyle) comes hotly tipped. And hard on the heels of Big Weekend came his headline gig at the Norwich Arts Centre.
It couldn’t have felt more different from the atmosphere in Earlham Park, with both support acts (Norwich musician Matt Riviere and previous East India Youth-collaborator Hannah Peel) playing to a crowd who watched quietly from the back of the room.
There was clearly one performer that everyone was here to see, and the anticipation was palpable in the build-up to Doyle’s set. His entrance, though, was a low-key affair. Clad in his trademark slim suit and skinny tie, Doyle wandered out onto a shadowy stage, setting up his decks and twiddling dials before the crowd even noticed his arrival.
His unassuming presence stood in stark contrast to the beginning of his show, which opened with hurtling synths accompanied by stunning visuals projected on the stage behind him. Together, they gave a real sense of movement, the audience rushing with Doyle into his unique musical landscape.
It wasn’t the only big moment in his set. An artist whose recorded output is often criticised for being made up of big ideas, but little emotion, he might have been expected to cut a less dynamic presence. It comes as a surprise, then, when Doyle steps back from his decks to grab a guitar, transforming instantly from high-minded electronic artist to credible rock star, headbanging across the stage. His mop of brown hair, even more reminiscent of James Blake than his music is, flops back and forth as he plays furiously, before abruptly throwing the guitar down and rushing to pound the drums, while simultaneously fading in his next track.
Despite the bombast and excitement of these moments, it’s the quieter, more intimate spots that stick in the mind. Doyle can switch in a moment to a small, intimate sound, which reminds us just how alone he is on the stage. Lit by just a few soft lights, swaying in time to the music he plays, his face registers deep emotion, again showing his music to be so much more than a cold, intellectual exercise. The intimate space of the arts centre draws the audience in close, while the setting (a converted church) gives a magical, otherworldly aspect to these softer moments.
The storming end to his set is ‘Carousel’ sounding simultaneously rousing and otherworldly. With swirling synths descending throughout the room, Doyle’s face is lit up as the music swells, and a note of hope suffuses the room. It might as well be a hint at Doyle’s career because, on the basis of this set, East India Youth will do well.
