Godspeed You! Black Emperor at HMV Empire, Coventry 2024

GY!BE is a name that requires little to no introduction, and frankly, after 30 years of reshaping the boundaries of what we now refer to as post-rock, there’s not much left that hasn’t been said about them. For the uninitiated, they are a Canadian collective whose explosive brand of sound is built on anti-war and anarchist themes, with a reputation for creating sonic landscapes that range from devastatingly loud to eerily quiet. And this is exactly what was delivered on the 3rd of October: a thoroughly visceral experience – an emotional journey through sound, crafted to devastate and uplift in equal measure.

The band have long perfected the art of tension and release, building up slowly and then thundering through climaxes with ear-splitting crescendos, before retreating back into moments of droney, quiet beauty. The band’s mastery lies in their ability to take this rather familiar formula and augment it with ear-shattering power, all while retaining an emotional depth that few bands can touch. They made the walls shake and hearts tremble, only to subtly pull back, revealing the softer, more vulnerable side of their music. Every hurricane has its calm, and their music vividly painted this picture, as overwhelming chaos gave way to moments of stillness which felt even more poignant in their wake.

The setlist was perfectly balanced, anchored by eight tracks that spanned both new material and deeper cuts. Among the highlights were songs from their newly released album No Title as of 13 February 2024, 28,340 Dead, a chilling reference to the death toll in Gaza at the album’s completion giving the already haunting performance even more weight. Their music, always political at its core, speaks louder than any lyrics. Is is eerie, ominous and cathartic all at once, with every note carrying the weight of the band’s deeply held convictions.

Visually, the experience was just as stunning as the sound. GY!BE performed against the background of live flickering 16mm film projections – images that were haunting, unsettling, and perfectly matched to the intensity of the music. With their abstract shapes and war torn imagery, the projections served as a reminder that the band’s music is more than sound — it is a protest, a dirge, a call to arms.

GY!BE have always excelled at creating these types of experiences — shows that feel less like gigs and more like shared journeys into the eye of the storm. There’s something deeply freeing about their sound, something that can make an audience feel both overwhelmed and overjoyed at the same time. At HMV Empire, they were as powerful as ever, delivering a performance that felt both personal and monumental, epic and intimate. In the end this was a gig that reminded me why even after all this time, Godspeed You! Black Emperor continue to remain in a league of their own. They’re a band that doesn’t just play music; they create entire worlds with sound, and for one night in Coventry, they invited us in. And for that, I’m profoundly grateful.