Review: CONCRETE LATES X FABRIC: BLACKHAINE, Southbank Centre

The Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer turned into a gig venue on September 13 for Concrete Lates x Fabric. The lights were low, the crowd was very cool, and the “iconic electronic music institution Fabric” was celebrated for the role it's played in the dance music scene over the last 25 years.

With an eclectic line-up, I came to see Blackhaine aka Tom Heyes. Heyes comes from Lancashire, studied at Edge Hill University, and since graduation has been developing his own oeuvre which includes dance, choreography and releasing music.

Before anything he has a look both extraordinary, and recognisable; tall, skinhead and often clothed in sportswear.

Being from the North myself I recognised the specific working class context that framed his work when I first came across him on social media. It's all pretty dark; think night-time, blurred visuals, empty concrete environments and you're not far off.

I didn't know what to expect at the Southbank, but his 45 minute set was definitely more gig than dance performance, however the way he works the space is far from conventional.

It began with visuals on a big screen; boy racers in a Tesco Extra car park, crowds outside clubs with a police presence causing palpable tension, an overview of someone being bundled into a police van, and a lone man walking the streets or what looks like a disused car park. In the latter venue the man explodes into brief moments of movement, as if having a fight with himself, or his own torment. Each exploration seems to build through tension that’s released in the most natural, economical way: arms flay out and backwards, spins erupt from seemingly nowhere, legs become tangled, constriction defines the next release and so on.

The movement language is an interesting watch; somewhere between movement therapy and voyeurism. And the assorted locations feed into a bigger thought process concerning subculture, class systems and the voices of the often unheard. To quote Heyes "the country we’re living in is a shithole”

When Heyes takes to the space he does so as one of the punters. He doesn't really use the DJ booth or provided platform, rather immerses himself within the crowd. I was on the periphery which allowed for a broader lens. It was almost like whale watching; every so often Heyes would come to the surface - microphone protruding into the air, elbow/s skyward, huge power and volume in his voice as he rapped or executed spoken word like someone on the permanent brink of exasperation.

Often he was closely surrounded by his committed audience; some in deep concentration focused on him, others filming what looked like livestreams for those that couldn't make it in person. At one point he demanded the crowd open so those that wanted to could dance/move. I couldn't clearly see what was happening, but the atmosphere felt like that of a weather system; spins, swirls, unease.

At one point Heyes was nearby, so I edged closer to catch a glimpse of his whole body. In performance he's as physical as I'd assumed, using his whole body. He vocalises as if shooting out of a canon - his body is tightly vertical as he pushes the sounds out, even going onto demi pointe to emphasise the flow of energy upwards. From here he releases, legs buckle, knees cross, ankles roll, upper body falls with gusto. The venue was hot, so often he wiped sweat from his face. He did this in a large, pained, physical way; like the imagery one finds in a Caravaggio painting. Dark and pressing.

I'm eager to see more of Heyes’ work, but I'm aware he's got Kanye West on speed dial after choreographing for him recently. Personally I think London dance houses should be in conversation to make something happen, as his voice is individual and speaks to many different kinds of people. Heyes has stated he's “more interested in an instinct or an emotion", and I believe this is the kind of intention that gets people into the theatre - and keeps them there.

Concrete Lates x Fabric was at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer on September 13

Photo credit: Raw Tape

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