Midlake

Midlake's story will inevitably pivot around the departure of frontman and primary songwriter Tim Smith in 2012, but as a huge fan of the band both before and after the reshuffle, I'd rally everyone to look forward, not back.
At this year's Glastonbury Festival, I had the unusual experience of catching Midlake's live documentary, 'Live In Denton', prior to their Saturday afternoon set on the Other Stage. The footage, shot in 2013 at a beautifully intimate hometown show in Denton, TX, announced the rebirth of a band still oozing with talent and, most noticeably, a renewed intensity. It was fascinating to see Midlake back in action, in vivid detail and in such close quarters. As Midlake took to the Other Stage forty-eight hours later, the live show scaled tremendously to the vast outdoors of the Somerset countryside. As the sun beat down, the band journeyed through tracks from their latest album, Antiphon. The texture added by new member Jesse Chandler on flute created a beautifully rounded and enveloping sound that served to revive the crowd from an omnipresent hangover. Eric Pulido, stepping into the frontman role, brought real energy to the show with his driving acoustic guitar and soaring vocals.
All in all, it was fantastic to see Midlake making waves and excelling onstage in their new frontier. Catch them live, whenever you can.