There is Sault, and then they are other groups. The UK-centric force handle themselves differently, eschewing the usual, traditional lines of promo to focus on the art. The past four years have seen the enigmatic collective deliver 10 albums of stunning material, ranging from righteous avant soul through to lush modern classical arrangements, somehow all joined in spirit, and intention.
Their first ever show is, no two ways about it, an event. Teased on socials, this is the moment that myth becomes reality, when the curtain is pulled away, and the magicians behind the trickery are revealed.
Except it’s going to cost you a small fortune.
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Earlier today – December 11th – tickets went on sale, priced at an eye-watering £99, and that’s before booking fee. One fan described themselves as “gobsmacked” while another commented “frankly, you’re just being plain greedy”.
The timing doesn’t help. The run up to Christmas leaves many of us drained financially – trips to see family have to be booked, there’s a work Christmas party to fork out for, and the list of presents grows longer each year. There’s commitments in place that a show in, say, March, don’t have.
There’s always been an implicit message of accessibility in Sault’s art – hosting a WeTransfer featuring five albums, for example, the price of admission being a password saying ‘GODISLOVE’. A £99 entry fee cuts away much of that, and prevents some of their longest fans from being able to attend.
Furthermore, the comms have – for once – been slightly messy. The build-up ramped up expectation, no doubt to create demand; but idents on social media describing ‘Africa’ as a country felt rushed. Alongside this, Sault insisted each ‘country’ would get one show each – the United States gets two, one for each coast.
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Much of this wouldn’t matter, however, if it was anyone else. Put simply, Sault mean a lot. The mystery counts for a great deal of this – to this day, fans aren’t 100% who is even in Sault. The project is reputed to hinge on the imagination of Inflo, a generation-defining producer who has worked alongside Adele, while Cleo Sol – the two are married – is speculated to be the primary vocalist. Guests include Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka, and that’s before we even attempt to break down Inflo’s orchestral manoeuvres.
But all that talent means that the margins are tight. To book a big enough venue in London – their home city – in December requires a lot of planning. To do so on an independent basis, means that no one is there to under-write the risk. It’s not as though Sault pop up on Coca-Cola commercials – if the art is paramount, then the commercial asks made of them have to be made in other ways.
It’s cruel, but the climate we’re operating in is far from fair. Sault made their name by placing their music on streaming – open, easily accessible, but ultimately not a great deal for artists. The vinyl drops may be a means of fans to show support, but the rapidly increasing cost of the physical artefact itself means that even this isn’t a perfect mode of exchange. The burden falls on the fan, but it also falls on artist – to do without, to persevere, and to make the economics work.
To book, promote and plan a show of this scale requires a team, and while we can’t be sure who precisely will be onstage, it’s reasonable to assume that those lucky enough to gain entry will be entertained by some of the best musicians in the land. While we may personally baulk at the admission fee, enough residual faith in Sault as an entity remains that we can be sure the fans on the ground will be entertained.
It’s testament to Sault’s drawing power that the show itself sold out completely within three hours. Drumsheds may be chilly, it may be a former IKEA site, and may be a matter of days before Christmas, but fans are going to make the trek anyway. That is perfect testament to their loyalty, to the power of Sault’s music, and to the unique relationship that has developed between this enigmatic group and their fans.
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Sault will play Drumsheds, London on December 14th. The show is sold out.
Words: Robin Murray
