Xiu Xiu - Eraserhead: A Soaring Tribute to David Lynch’s Masterpiece

Words by Kaitlyn Brockley

Experimental post-rock wizards Xiu Xiu reimagine the Lynchian classic, honouring the late film director in the only way you can: in the most bizzare and entrancing way possible.

It’s a sleepy winters’ night in Manchester; a languid Monday evening just tipped into February. The sludge of January has gone, but all the same cars crawl past; commuters trudge in bitter winds. Burrowed in a tunnel underneath a rail track, a bustling crowd congregate in a packed-out Gorilla, 500 bodies or so of young and old eagerly flock to the front. Eagle-eyed members lean precariously over the stage to snap photos of pedal set-ups, to learn from critically acclaimed alternative trio Xiu Xiu, who appear today as a duo to reimagine Lynch’s 1977 fantasy-horror ‘Eraserhead’. 

Somewhat of a reputation trails behind Xiu Xiu, the crowd whispers of smashing glasses, grinning excitedly at the prospect of what is to come. Despite the rumours, no one actually knows, the event has been shrouded in mystery, and the stage doesn’t give a lot away: single table sits on the stage like an altar, two microphones set up at chest height. Classical compositions flirt around the speakers, and amongst all the excitement a collective pit of apprehension lies heavily at the bottom of the audience’s stomach – what on earth have we got ourselves into? 

The night opens with Manchester experimental spoken word duo BurnIntoSleep, consisting of multi-instrumentalist David McLean and poet Katie McLean. The group’s identity is ambiguous, a single Instagram post is the only indicator of the acts’ presence,  but dig further and you’ll find the two are ingrained in Manchester’s grassroots scenes – David running cassette-only Tombed Records, and both haunting DIY venue AATMA. 

With no one quite sure what to expect, the conundrum is not resolved. Katie emerges in a full suit, gloved hands and pigtails, taking centre stage. The room is silent, Katie’s eyes remained close as the crowd await with baited breath, expectant, anticipating. And then a chord pierces through the deep silence, slicing, sharp. The frontwoman’s gaze does not falter, her posture does not slouch, like a dictator. The crowd stare back fixatedly, in fear, in confusion, in awe. Then she opens her mouth, and the show begins. 

30 minutes, thick walls of sound crawling up the walls, edging, swelling, engulfing decaying into furious beats that reverberate through the speakers, snaking through the floorboards. At one moment, a saxophone broods under the throb of bass, peaking out in demure bursts until it squeals like a balloon, struggling for air. Amongst the chaos, lead singer Katie fights above it, swimming against the tide, powerful declamations punching through. Watching BurnIntoSleep is like watching a car go off-road, violent and unsettling, but something you can’t tear your eyes away from. 

Then Xiu Xiu emerge from the cloaks behind the stage, in sharp suits and solemn expressions. There is a reverent feel, a hushed silence descends on the crowd. They sit in silence, in unison, behind the table lumbered with boards and synths and indescribable devices, laden like a science desk as opposed to a live set-up. The screen behind them flickers to life, a montage of black and white imagery stuttering behind them, indistinguishable patterns and motifs. Combining field recordings, homemade instruments and the occasional shout, they craft an uneasy feeling that settles in your skin, the same apprehensive nature that Lynch’s work evokes in the viewer.

What could be convoluted is reined in by Xiu Xiu, clocking in at 45 minutes, the movement is concise and precise, repeated motifs occurring in satisfying increments. In a period, the stream of black and white is flooded with colour, bright stripes across the screen as the duo sit up to bang handmade drums. The most surprising element is the humour running through it, a wink-wink nudge-nudge at cartoon sound effects that breaks the barrier between artist and audience. 

Xiu Xiu’s ‘Eraserhead’ is everything you would expect and nothing at all – what is a sprawling, thought-provoking imagining of the cinematic masterpiece is also humorous, entertaining, and at some points just plain stupid. If you like performance art, visuals or simply just watching something weird, Xiu Xiu’s show might just be for you.