Category: Live Reviews

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Live Reviews

Action Bronson – Live

Barfly, London
25.03.12

Such was the excitement at Action Bronson‘s debut in London that he had to add a matinee show on the day of his Barfly show to make sure everyone that wanted a ticket got to see him. Larger than life is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but when you see a man that can’t be taller than 5’8 and is as wide as he is tall, larger than life certainly seems apt.

Grinning throughout his set, Bronson was clearly having a good time from the second he stepped on the stage and past an equally large [and drunk] member of the crowd who continually wanted to hold his hand and chant “BRONSON, BRONSON” at the crowd. The MC invited the guy on stage before realising he had inadvertently taken on a belligerent hype man and ushering him back off.

With the Barfly heaving, Bronson stepped down into the crowd to get in amongst his loving fans, running through tracks such as Barry Horowitz and The Madness as the lyrics were enthusiastically thrown back at him before he waded back towards the stage. Taking a few puffs of a joint near the front of the stage, the grin got wider and he declared he was “tired as fuck yo” – not really a surprise to anyone in attendance.

After half an hour, it was time to wrap things up, though he did drop a couple of extra tracks, including an already fan-favourite tune from his Blue Chips mixtape – Hookers At The Point. It was too short a set, in reality, but for the half an hour or so that he was on stage, it was one hell of a fun evening.

Abjekt.

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Live Reviews

Ceremony live at Rock City, Nottingham

22.03.12
By Mark Taylor

Walking through the crowd, vocalist Ross Farrar jumps on stage, only to grab the mic and jump back in as the band launches into ‘Hysteria’ from their latest offering ‘Zoo’. Disappointingly, the crowd don’t really respond and keep a safe distance back – this all changes when the band kick into ‘Sick’ though (from the excellent Rohnert Park LP) and everyone surges forward, no longer worried about being hit my the singers mic stand that he waves wildly around his head.

The rest of the set continues with material heavy from the bands last two offerings, which depart from the more straight forward Hardcore of the Violence LP and embrace the stranger side of Punk Rock, from ‘Brace’ to ‘The Doldrums’ and then into their cover of legendary Dischord band Red C’s ‘Pressure’s On’, it’s like watching a nervous breakdown, the desperation on the singers face says a lot, and though unsettling, you know it wouldn’t work any other way.

Ending the set with ‘End’, the last forty minutes have been an intense, bloody, beer soaked mess with the odd mini riot thrown in for good measure. Ceremony proved tonight they are a great band who have the ability to drop an explosive show and push the boundaries on the punk scene. Don’t miss it.

Watch James Sherry’s pit cam footage of Ceremony playing the Fighting Cocks in Kingston from this UK tour.

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Live Reviews

Presidents of the USA – live

London Forum,
16/3/12

Nostalgia is a “death move”, according to Smashing Pumpkins frontman (and sole founding member) Billy Corgan, a man who clearly doesn’t have much time for the current trend of veteran bands revisiting their ‘classic’ albums in concert. He may well have a point, but those who had the dubious pleasure of witnessing the Pumpkins on their UK tour last November would arguably beg to differ, just as they must have begged for the likes of ‘Zero’ and ‘Today’ to break up a set comprised largely of painfully self-indulgent recent efforts. Not that this should have been much of a surprise; even on 1995’s “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness”, Corgan’s ambition was starting to get the better of him.

That was nearly two decades ago, and at that time, Seattle trio The Presidents Of The USA were sitting happily at the other end of the pretentiousness scale, with a debut album that extolled the simple joys of cats, rock music and – of course! – Peaches. Seemingly on a mission to have as much fun as possible, the Presidents were just what the doctor ordered for those post-grunge years, and tonight, the almost sold-out Forum suggests that this party still has legs.

Straight Lines could really use a few musical twists and turns. The Cardiff quartet deal in fairly inoffensive pop-rock, but don’t really deserve much more than the polite applause that they receive.

The Presidents are playing that self-titled debut in full tonight, and although the crowd has aged with the band, everyone still gleefully bounces around as the stop-start riff of ‘Kitty’ kicks in. There are few surprises in store, save for a few bizarre mid-song anecdotes from vocalist/bassist Chris Ballew, and the record’s occasional weaker moments don’t gain much power in the live setting. Still, it matters little, considering that the vast majority of the songs are greeted like old friends, and that there’s barely a soul in the house without an inane grin plastered across their face.

Nostalgia? Undoubtedly, but tonight is proof enough that it can be fun to step back in time once in a while.

Alex Gosman

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Live Reviews

Sennen – Live

Barfly, London
08.03.12

There’s a real sense of community here tonight at the Barfly: couples are holding hands, friends are laughing and nursing pints of beer and others are simply here to see their friends play music. But if you’re wondering why this crowd just doubled in size, it’s because a band called Sennen are about to play.

It’s quiet as atmospheric sounds fill the room and Kellaway whispers the words “I’m a little older, I’m a little colder”. Conversations have ceased and every audience member feels the heartache of the lead vocal. It’s dramatic and emotive, but I’m here tonight to become a Sennen fan, and I’m beginning to fear that the band will remain at this volume all night.

I feel bad for doubting them, however, when an epic crescendo builds and the beastly loop to new single ‘Vultures’ screams in a manner that almost rivals that of Radiohead. It is this wall of noise that reminds us of the band’s shoe-gaze aspects; and it’s a welcome reminder.

The majority of tonight’s set is made up of new repertoire, but no disappointed sighs of “I don’t know this one” are heard. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sennen’s back catalogue is boastable, but as they undisputedly continue to evolve, new material is encouraged and embraced by all that are present. Actually, the most striking tracks of the night were ones that were shyly introduced as “our new songs”. Both loud and intriguing, the mish-mash of reverb and crafty song-writing created a healthy foreshadow for the next album; an LP that will sit happily in my iTunes ‘top played’.

It’s their intelligent modesty that will lure you in: they don’t gloat because their music does it for them. If you haven’t heard of this band yet, you will do soon. They’re pretty damn good.

Kimmy Reader.

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Live Reviews

Dilated Peoples – Live

Islington Academy
27.02.12

Dilated Peoples are one of those groups that you might not listen to in a while, but when you do, you remember just how awesome they are. Thankfully, due to Evidence‘s brilliant Cats & Dogs solo record on Rhymesayers last year, the Dilated catalogue had been getting a good airing in the past few months , building up a lot excitement for the arrival of this show in North London.

Having missed the support, we hit the venue just as DJ Babu hopped up behind the decks and introducing the two MCs, Evidence and Rakaa Iriscience, by blasting out Live On Stage and immediately the tone was set – the crowd shouted, screamed and chanted along, hands thrust firmly in the air. Though the show wasn’t a sell-out, it was comfortably full and you would be forgiven for thinking there were twice as many people in attendance.

The rappers played off each other with glee, Rakaa dropped his verses from under a hat which almost covered his eyes contrasting Ev’s trademark laid back flow as they dived into both new and old tracks, from You Can’t Hide, You Can’t Run and Back Again to the classic Worst Comes To Worst. With every order from Ev, the crowd pumped more noise towards the stage, something all three members reveled in as they each showcased their own individual talents.

Babu’s scratch routine was a lesson in turntablism, speeding up his hand movements to that of a blur, a mini-whirlwide on the decks, Rakaa dropping tracks from his Crown of Thorns record and Evidence wowing the crowd with a rendition of the Premo-produced You, mixing in beats from Gangstarr’s Full Clip and Royce’s Boom.

The setlist provided a greatest hits of their stellar career, never once dipping in energy. Once the show was over and the crowd dispersed, the overall feeling was that of having had the most fun in a long, long time. With a new album on the cards this year, let’s hope it’s not long before they’re back smashing it in London again.

Abjekt.

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Live Reviews

Touché Amoré – Live

London Barfly
27.02.12

Touché Amoré’s ‘Honest Sleep’ provides the most emo of emo moments tonight at the Barfly. Exceedingly earnest in a way that is both endearing and slightly unsettling, the band have a dedicated crew of followers hanging on their every word at this show.

The aforementioned offering prompts shout-alongs from the audience to the emotive lyrics ‘I’m losing sleep, I’m losing friends’. In fact, pretty much every track blasted forth tonight is met with an enthusiastic, fists-in-the-air, screaming-lungs-out kind of a reaction. Everyone present loves this band. And Touché Amoré are more than receptive to the crowd’s willingness to participate, expressing their gratitude at being there and putting their all into an energetic, if a little short, set.

There is an eerie quiet that comes over the venue in between tracks as the crowd awaits further words from vocalist Jeremy. However, listen closely and you can hear people discussing the band’s lyrical content. Nobody is going off the topic of the band tonight. If you thought the crowd was fervent during the band’s main set, you hadn’t seen anything until they return for a much-encouraged one-song encore of ‘Cadence’. This time Jeremy abandons his mic, putting him on an equal footing with each and every person in the crowd tonight, a fact that they relish and everyone partakes in one last group-voiced emotional pouring out before filtering out of the room.

Touché Amoré’s ability to hold a captive audience is undeniable. Their raw emotional power and cutting riffs make for a crushing live experience, in the best possible way.

Winey G.

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Live Reviews

La Dispute and Former Thieves live

ladisputeThe Borderline
24th January, 2012

Former Thieves have had some bad luck over the past couple of days with van trauma in mainland Europe and illness plaguing the band’s members. Yet they’re gracious and potent on stage tonight, their visceral yet carefully paced set pulsating through the venue despite a largely unmoving crowd. This two band bill makes for a show that rivals La Dispute’s last London appearance at the Underworld with Touche Amore. The rather more intimate feeling of The Borderline lends itself well to both bands’ clear desire to connect with the audience. Despite everyone’s lack of movement for the openers, you can tell they’re being well received as attention is fully on the music emanating from the stage. The bar is quiet. It’s the music everyone is here for tonight.

La Dispute have already proven themselves as live favourites amongst those in the know on these shows. Their deeply emotive music verges on the uncomfortable at times but tonight’s unrelenting emotion is delivered with a rawness and a sincerity that is undeniable and ultimately appealing. Perfectly crafted songs balance sparse textures with dramatic riffs and vocals that sound so close to breaking, you can’t help but empathise with the lyrics.

Ever the socially conscious, La Dispute have chosen to donate a portion of their merch sales to Teenage Cancer Trust tonight. They also requested a donation (of any amount) from those lucky enough to be on the guestlist for the event. There’s certainly a sense that this is far more than a token gesture and that this a band who really want to make a difference wherever they can. And it’s oh so evident that their performance tonight has made a difference to each person present. Stirring stuff.

Winegums

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Live Reviews

Shonen Knife – Live

Tokyo Shindaita Fever Club
02.12.2011

Shonen Knife’s singer/guitarist/main songwriter Naoko Yamano is chatting happily to the crowd; a crowd who, less than 10 minutes ago, were very shy and reserved, but are now grinning like loons and ready to pogo like there’s no tomorrow. Unfortunately, I can’t understand Japanese very well, but it’s clear from their fans’ reaction that Yamano’s band – 30 years strong and counting – are still very much loved by those in the know.

Famously the subject of a tribute album only eight years into their career, the Osaka trio’s appeal lies in their ear for a catchy tune, their bubblegum punk-pop sound, and their amusing obsession with the little delights of life. Tonight, everyone bounces around happily to the power-pop of ‘Banana Chips’ (an ode to the snack of the same name), the buzzsaw melody of ‘I Am A Cat’ and the gloriously jangly ‘Capybara’, all delivered in true Ramones-esque style. Twee? Maybe so, but in today’s troubled world, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of escapism now and then, and if ever there was a band that merited leaving your cynicism at the door and bouncing around with a silly smile on your face, then SK are that band.

Much like their younger compatriots Electric Eel Shock, it’s rare to see a band enjoy themselves so much onstage; with Yamano and bassist Ritsuko Taneda soloing away to squeals of delight from an energetic but very good-natured crowd. It feels more like a party than a gig; even more so when the girls return dressed in Santa Claus costumes for an encore of Ramones covers and some punked-up Christmas songs, with handclaps and harmonies in abundance.

On our way to the exit, we’re greeted by a golden retriever, whose friendly demeanour only increases our reluctance to leave. Shonen Knife may not be total unknowns, but they’ve always been something of a cult concern, and in this small west Tokyo club, it feels like we’ve been treated to a taste of Japan’s best cure for the winter blues.

Alex Gosman.

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Live Reviews

Game – Live

The Forum
26.11.2011

Game doesn’t seem to be as popular as he should be in the UK. A slew of big hits and solid albums behind him and you’d have thought the Compton rapper would have packed out the Forum following the likes of Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa earlier in the year. It was by no means empty, but there was certainly room to manoeuvre unlike the sardine-like sweatbox of the Bawse’s show. However, it didn’t stop Jayceon Taylor as he strode on stage, kicking the night off with Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse on The City.

With the crowd having bayed his name through the sub-standard opening sets of the rapper’s Black Wall Street label, Game didn’t disappoint, running confidently through classic tracks as well as bangers from this year’s The R.E.D. Album, showcasing his talent for both rapping and entertaining. Where tracks like Dope Boys and Let’s Ride bounced and smacked the speakers, Game also showed he could switch it up with Hate It Or Love It and My Life, both to great acclaim from the paying public.

It was One Blood that proved to be the show-stealer as everyone wearing Black Wall Street merchandise was invited up onto the stage with a sea of red crowding around the rapper and everyone else in the crowd slamming their hands down with the beat as hype men jumped from the speaker stacks and smiles swarmed across both performers and fans. Finishing up with the stage still full was the much poppier Pot Of Gold but if anything the volume went up a notch as Chris Brown’s chorus rang out around the Kentish Town venue.

He might not be as big as his peers, but he’s just as talented. A great night out.

Abjekt.

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Live Reviews

Random Axe – Live

Jehst
Scala
20.10.11

Just over a week prior to this Jehst had been headlining the Jazz Cafe with a live band, yet here is again playing second fiddle to an under-appreciative crowd. Having released one of the very best records of the year back in June, you’d think playing to such an unresponsive crowd would dampen his performance, but Jehst amicably does he best to energise the gaggle of Random Axe fans who arrived early. To an extent, he has some success, and as he cuts the beat to leave the damning political musings of ‘England’ standalone, the crowd are undoubtedly hanging on to every word. While this won’t be the best gig Jehst will have played this year, it does the job and he remains first choice for rap show warm-up by some distance.

By the time Random Axe appear on stage, though, it’s very clear who this audience are here to see. Black Milk begins on the decks (where he spends most of the evening) playing through a few records, before introducing emecee’s Guilty Simpson and Sean Price, whose presence tonight lends a veteran-like professionalism to the evening. The group run through the majority of their self-titled debut album, before taking the opportunity to show off some solo material from their respective careers. While it’s Black Milk’s kick-snare assault that predictably dominates the night, there are also moments dedicated to the late J Dilla, and also Madlib as they run through cuts from Simpson’s OJ Simpson album.

It’s perhaps Sean Price, though, who is most impressive, and more of a rarity when it comes to appearances in the UK. Previews of tracks from his forthcoming album Mic Tyson show promise, and his stage presence throughout makes the room seem much smaller than it is. While Black Milk emerges from behind the turntable intermittently, the strength of Random Axe is his that all three guys play to their strengths. With Black Milk on the beats, and Simpson and Price up front, this is one supergroup that proves to be a winning combination.

Sleekly Lion