Water Damage & Smote @ The White Hotel, Salford, 2nd September 2025
Having been somewhat amazed and enthralled at the performance of Smote at the same venue, The White Hotel, in January this year, I didn’t have to think twice about going to see them again when asked by The Shaman.
I had left the dark streets of Salford that wintry evening with my head spinning about what I’d just witnessed, but tonight, on the once again The Beauty Witch hosted event, they were the starter ahead of the main course, which was served up by Texans Water Damage.
Appearing on stage in the now familiar red haze, Smote mastermind Daniel Foggin leads the collective of talented musicians through a procession of what is another awe-inspiring performance. With crashing cymbals signalling the beginning of Banhus, they build the music with sways of tempos, before the heavy bassline from Sally Mason takes complete control. Adding in mysterious vocals and an eastern flair, the sound is crushing, and the assembled crowd take it all in.
Coming Out Of A Hedge Backwards has a big bass intro, reminding me a bit of Fugazi’s Repeater, as the wonderfully talented crew play their repetitive beats over a droning sound, but when they go heavy, boy do they go heavy, it’s like a firework exploding indoors, with tempo changes all over the place, in a controlled fit of rage. The flute sound floats across the room as they play new track Snodgerrs. It’s so dreamy yet fits perfectly with the effects and guitars and when accompanied by the white strobing lights, it makes me feel like I was back at a ‘90s rave, as they create an atmosphere second to none.
The most impressive part is that the rhythm is kept precise, kudos again to drummer Rob Law, and with final song Opinion Of The Lamb Pt. 1 it allows the other musicians to demonstrate their own unique talents, with potent soundwaves piercing the dimly lit former garage. The viola from Laura Garcia is exquisite and you can hear a distant voice counting the collective in on several occasions and once again, they have delivered a performance that is both memorable and breathtaking in equal measure.
When you read a description that says the band ‘don’t play songs, it’s ritual repetition therapy’ then you’ve got an inkling of what to expect, but nothing really prepares you for a live performance from Austin based psych/drone-rock collective Water Damage. With dual percussionists, including Thor Harris, sat facing each other, amidst a sea of purple lights, they commence with a few taps of the drumsticks that sees the heavy bass from Nate Cross and Mari Maurice’s gorgeous violin sound dominate the venue.
There are ripples of smooth, hauntingly hypnotic sounds that are juxtaposed with harsh realities that create something truly beautiful for the crowd to embrace and take pleasure from watching. The repetitive nature of their music is occasionally broken by flashes of noise from other instruments, with the piercing violin being my favourite. There’s a series of white bulbs in a Vshape at the back, which flickers in perfect timing with the beat to add more atmosphere for the enchanted crowd to gaze upon the talent in front of them.
I can see the band swaying in motion with the music and the crowd are going along with it, joined together as one. There are several layers to the music, but the band have the crowd in some sort of meditative state with their mechanical and methodical approach to the recurring beat. It makes it impossible to take your eyes off them, and I never thought I’d enjoy watching a group of people play the same rhythm and beat for around forty-five minutes quite as much as I did. They leave the stage to rapturous applause, others seemed unsure if it was the end or not, but sadly it was, and they left us wanting more.
Water Damage
Smote
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
Photos by: Lee Edwards
