Melting Vinyl dedicated to bringing creative artists to Brighton & Kent

We asked each of the artists playing at the Celebration Of Low event at St George’s Church how their music is influenced by LOW, why they are happy to be part of this event in celebration of LOW and 200 years of St George’s, and why they have chosen to play the song(s) they will play.

This event is FREE to enjoy.
The night will be part standing and partly seated with an ‘in a round’ feel, the space being utlised unlike any previous performance at the church. This promises to be a very special, magical night to remember, as we shake off the last ambers of winter and welcome in the spring.
Further information is here.

M Butterfly:
“The song I’ve chosen is Dragonfly, from the Drums and Guns album. It’s been a favourite of mine for a very long time and the studio version, with all its chaotic arrangement is unbelievably moving. The simplicity of the lyric “some things should never be” really gets me.
Low have been my favourite band for years, their music is like scaffolding around my head. Listening to them makes me feel complete, like they are a vital organ being returned to my body.
When we lost Mimi, it was devastating. The night I found out, my partner and I went to St George’s church and lit a candle for her. Despite the wind and the rain it stayed lit long enough for me to thank her for guiding me through so much of my life.
I’m so happy to be playing this show, with some of my best friends; friends who were magnetised to each other by the music of Low, in the place where I last saw Low play. It’s an honour, and a fitting bookend to my relationship with the best band in the world.“

Kristin McClement:
“I’ve chosen to play Embrace from Things we Lost in the Fire (2001). This album in particular was on heavy rotation when I was in my late teens and early twenties, spending hours listening to music on my portable CD player (a pretty retro device these days!). Looking back at my younger self, I was desperately trying to figure out who I was after moving from South Africa to the UK. The loss of identity and the feeling of displacement was very real, even though I looked like everyone else and spoke the same language. (I can only imagine what it must be like if you look culturally different and English isn’t your first language trying to adjust to life in a new country).
Low’s mesmerising music offered me a dreamlike, melancholy world in which I could escape and transcend the difficulties I was facing day to day.  

I now know that TWLITF was written around the time that Mimi and Alan had their first child, Hollis, and the record was greatly influenced by this new chapter in their lives. From an interview with Mimi I know that Embrace is about childbirth – the primal, inescapable process of bringing new life into this world. “It won’t last, hold on fast” sounds like a mantra to me to get through the experience, the suspension of your being, the stress, the intense pain, the beauty, the miracle of life. The song soars towards a heavy crescendo with Mimi’s words ringing out “I fell down the stairs, I wished I were dead, you ran towards the light, he handed me your head”. I believe this is the death of her past life as she moves towards the light of motherhood with a baby in her arms.
I had my baby girl three years ago and this album has a whole new resonance to me as a parent. Although very sadly Mimi is no longer with us, her spirit lives on through the incredible legacy of Low’s music. That’s one of the most beautiful things about songs, about creating – that our souls live on through these expressions long after our physical forms have departed this world. Had I told my teenage self that years later I would be celebrating Low’s music in the stunning St. George’s church I would surely not have believed myself! 
I’m very happy to be performing with my long time band mate and exceptional human, Jools Owen.”

Dom-Van Coeur
“It would be fair to say that Low was collectively our favourite band, and we were lucky enough to to see them play at St George’s Church several times over the years.  It  was always a special evening. There isn’t another band that were so consistently great live and to us St George’s was the “Low” venue.

The first time they played here in 2002, mid-set, Alan decided spontaneously to try and attempt something on the piano (which happened to be next to the stage).  Of course it was out of tune but he persisted, unsuccessfully for a while. This continued until Mimi told him sternly  “it’s not what people are here for Alan”. At which point he took the hint and reluctantly went back to his guitar. It was a really sweet moment and summed up how personable and natural they were on stage and together.

For us, the song Words is just a good example of Low’s earlier material.  Really slow/minimal, balancing darkness and hopefulness.  Plus the video for it is great. John, the bass player at the time, has his back to the camera for the whole thing.  

When you’re in a band for such a long time, it can be difficult to keep things interesting for yourselves and the audience. However, after 30ish years, Low always made this seem effortless. Every album different but always somehow sounding like Low. Those last two records particularly sound like nothing else we can think of, which after 30 years is mind blowing. 

We should also mention how important their Friday night live Instagram performances were to us during lockdown. During a bleak and uncertain time, they took us into their home, and gave us hope and light (and gardening tips) in the darkness.

Thank you Low.“

OddFellows Casino
“My first album with a former band in the early 90s, was recorded in the US on the Shimmy Disc label with producer Kramer. On arriving at his studio (via limousine!) he sat us down to play a new band he’d just produced. It’s was Low’s first album I Could Live In Hope. I’ve been a fan ever since and supported them on two occasions including Brighton’s new defunct Arts Club on Ship Street. Their Zen-like less is more approach to music continues to inspire and challenge a maximalist like me.“