Category: Live Reviews

Rustie, TokiMonsta, Dimlite, Paper Tiger
Koko
04.09.11

Saturday night at Koko isn’t where you’d normally expect to see such a monster line-up for beat lovers, yet it was in the North London venue that Stones Throw crooner Dam Funk played a headline show ably supported by two of the best DJs around at the moment. Having arrived at the very end of the Paper Tiger [unfortunately not the Paper Tiger of Doomtree fame] set, we caught Dimlite, who dropped numerous heavy beats though many of his off-kilter rhythms found themselves at odds with those on the dancefloor who had trouble trying to figure out just how to move to the tuens they were hearing.

Dam Funk then entered the arena, a black balaclava on his face as he gripped his keytar hard and shouting at the crowd. Backed up by men on the keys and drums, his self-styled funk and soulful renderings brought the swathes of fans out in force and the more he sang, the higher the hands reached for the ceiling. Whilst not the biggest Dam Funk fan in the world, I was still able to appreciate the variety in his delivery, be it angry or laid back and the vibes he took from the crowd were certainly worth being around for.

It was when TokiMonsta stepped onto the stage that things ramped up a little. Her ability to drop glitchy underground tracks next to mainstream rap songs make her sets some of the most fun around and it was no different in Camden. The highlight of the set was Luniz’s I Got Five On It which raised smiles across the dancefloor and on the face of the DJ herself who looked like she was having a great time. It’s a shame the sound at the venue was slightly muddy as it took away from her selections a little, but she rocked it nonetheless.

Rustie was up next and the sound problems seemed well and truly rectified for the Scottish producer. Having just signed to Warp and with a new EP on the way, it was exciting to see what he’d pull out of the bag for this live show and even more exciting when actually hearing the beats. Hearing huge basslines mixed in amongst his cut up bleeps produced serious shocking out moments and if this set is anything to go by, his upcoming releases are going to be absolutely massive.

Abjekt

The Underworld, Camden
12.08.2010

It was all of 30 years ago that 7 Seconds formed one of hardcore’s most influential and highly regarded bands in the American punk scene and tonight they are back at the Underworld in Camden, London for their third visit of our Island. It’s surprising that throughout those years the band never played here, especially as they were huge fans of the UK punk scene and the bands that were throwing up amazing hardcore throughout the 80’s but never the less, they are here tonight in support of Agnostic Front and to be honest with you, it was like time had stood still for all that time.

Opening with ‘Still Believe’ from New Wind it’s evident that the band that formed in Reno all those years ago still have what it takes to deliver a rocking show and Kevin Seconds still has that hunger and desire to bring the best of 7 Seconds illustrious career into the forefront and get a mosh pit going. Within seconds the crowd is alive all singing “use your head, be aware, give a fuck!” from the classic Walk Together Rock Together album and off we go!

‘Boy’s Fun’ follows and then ‘This Is The Angry’ – all you can hear are people wailing “whoa whoa!” as the track with the best sing-along chorus from the Scream Real Loud record gets the entire venue singing along to the message and this is what makes 7 Seconds one of the best hardcore bands of all time. This is also exactly what I personally miss from the new breed of so called ‘punks’ of this current generation, a term that has been milked over the years from a bunch of over styled, fashion conscious, energy drink sipping sell-outs who over use the word ‘punk’ in their biogs and fancy web widgets to make them feel part of something. Remember, there was no internet back when these guys were starting out, just phones in houses, record stores (remember those?) and fanzines to connect with the scene and their fans. The sound and scene of the 80’s and 90’s were packed with songs that meant something, songs that were memorable, songs with lyrics you could relate to and with tracks like ‘You Lose’, ‘Young Until I Die’, ‘New Wind’ and ‘We’re Gonna Fight’ hammering the PA at mach 10 the energy that filled this room tonight is one that no ’emo’ band could ever match in today’s so called ‘punk scene’. Oh, it’s SO emotional!

Even ‘One Big Guessing Game’ from Side One Dummy’s Good To Go album sounded great but there was much more to come. As the pit started to feed off the speedy 2 minute spells, stage divers somersaulted onto people’s heads, but the unlucky ones who didn’t get caught still had smiles on their faces as they were dragged up for air. ‘Regress No Way’ had people’s fists in the air followed by ‘The Crew’, ‘Remains to Be Seen’, and then their own version of Sham 69’s ‘If The Kids Are United’ before the absolutely amazing ‘Walk Together, Rock Together’ had everyone in that room sharing the same high; everyone screamed the lyrics out loud to the band’s delight. They were absolutely stoked on this reception and ended their set with the classic cover of Nena’s ’99 Red Balloons’ and ‘Here’s Your Warning’ capping one of the best hardcore shows of the year, in fact so much so that watching Agnostic Front seemed like a stupid idea but before we left, drummer Troy Mowat bowled over to say hello to us with a vuvuzela horn in his hand. Even after smashing out a 40 minute set he still had more energy than most in there, he was like a 10 year old after drinking a can of Coke and bouncing off the walls.

7 Seconds may have been going for over three decades but their desire to keep the hardcore flowing is still just as hungry as ever. Stand up and celebrate these legends when they visit next as they will not let you down.

Zac

Words and Photos: Caitlin Mogridge

Lowther Park in rural Cumbria, an unlikely setting for what’s fast becoming a key festival in the Northern calendar. My first experience also happens to be the festival’s 5th birthday. Many fledgling festivals can fail to pull the acts and the crowds but Kendal has struck upon a winning formula and has grown up fast.

The festival offered a mix of acts ranging from melodic rock, to dance, to Mancunian ska. Friday night kicked off with a reduced lineup of Dub Pistols, Stereo MCs, and small festival regular Calvin Harris. The generally young audience wanted to burn off some early summer energy, and as a result bodies came flowing over the barrier. Photographers in the pit fell victim to flailing limbs, fainting girls and all manor of broken fancy dress props. It wasn’t only the crowd who were out of control, one techy intern pulled the plug on Calvin’s set leaving the mainstage silent for 10 minutes.

The acts for the next few days seemed to be put together at random, the only pattern being rock in the morning, afternoon reggae/ska, and calming down to indie or mire alternative acts early evening. Apart from Calvin’s set on the first night the mainstage headliners, Doves and The Coral, just didn’t the high energy performance the crowds were craving.

However, OK Go, Futureheads and Wild Beasts drew the majority of the crowd and held their attention for a full set. The Beasts opened with hypnotic rythyms and a boldly original sound. They have managed to create a brand that is unmistakably them, achieving success without following too closely to their influences. The Futureheads’ ‘Manray‘ was a personal highlight but it’s been disappointing to see them slip further down the bill compared to a couple of years ago.

One selling point of this festival was the Calling Out tent, which showcased a selection of the finest upcoming local performances. It was refreshing to see such a range of bands, but a consistant genuine enthusiasm for performing. There were some gems to look out for, including These New Puritans whose British ‘Art-rock’ style has put them in fair stead to support the XX, Klaxons, and Crystal Castles. And Danananakroyd, who appeared to be the pick of a Glaswegian youth club pumped up on substances I can only hope are legal. As mic stands went flying, they proved to be a challenge for the crew and photographers but a definite hit with the crowd.

Sunday mainstage introduced me to the phenomenon that is Mancunian ska, a concept a Southerner may not be familiar with. I was pleasantly surprised after hearing and chatting to Kid British. These boys had manners any mother would be proud of and obviously had a huge local following. To ensure a mixed bag, Kendal threw in Badly Drawn Boy for some crowd sing alongs. He pulled the heartstrings by inviting his daughter to sing and play piano on stage with him. It was a great performance but maybe still lacking the kick the audience wanted.

As the festival was winding down there was a final burst of energy for the Subways, although Charlotte seemed to be the more popular member. The obvious choices ‘Oh Yeah‘and ‘Rock n Roll Queen‘ provoked a predictable high octane reaction and were many peoples’ highlights. And after an impossibly long set from The Coral, and satisfied with seeing a selection of the UK’s finest, the crowd retreated to the late night Jazz Cafe to dance out any remaining energy. A perfect way to end the festival of all genres.

After a long weekend introduction to a Northern festival I have to say I was quietly impressed. Kendal is a great festival for people who don’t take themselves too seriously, and don’t mind the occasional crossdresser or arty types. I think what makes Kendal unique is the real inclusion of new local music. The Calling Out stage offers an atmosphere unmatched by any other introducing stage I have seen.

I’ve come away with a scrawled list of bands I can’t wait to check out when I get home, and that’s what festivals should be about.

6^th – 8^th August, 2010
Port Lympne, Kent

With a line-up to make any fan of modern heavy music squeal in delight, Hevy was an exciting prospect. And, other than a few minor organizational issues which are only to be expected at a young festival, this was an event that delivered everything it promised. Pretty cheap tickets, wildlife park next door, small so easy to get to every part of the site and a line-up consisting of some of the best new talent and much-loved established acts around. Glassjaw, Sepultura, Gallows and Comeback Kid were billed alongside up-and-comers March of The Raptors and Chickenhawk with buzz bands Trash Talk, Cerebral Ballzy and Pulled Apart By Horses thrown into the mix.

Unfortunately for us, we missed Cerebral Ballzy but we can be pretty sure that their raucous performance went down a treat with all assembled seeing as they played to a packed-out sweatbox Old Blue Last in London earlier that week. Trash Talk ended up being first on our agenda and they standardly made jaws drop with their rambunctious approach and no-holds-barred aggression. Despite coming across as a tightly wound angry beast, this band have unparalleled ability to entertain and their set at Hevy is no exception. Once you get involved, it’s a fun experience rather than a confrontational one.

March of The Raptors help to start filling up the Rock Sound tent and the people assembled enjoy the band’s full-on metally punk rock immensely. By the time Pulled Apart By Horses play the same tent, it’s absolutely rammed and hard to get a look-in but the band sound at their top-notch best as they reel off numbers from their enthralling debut including most recent single ‘High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive’. Fucked Up bring us back to the main stage with their innovative punk-with-a-twist and they lay the foundations perfectly for fellow Canadians Comeback Kid who clearly become the band of the weekend for many who watch their set. Vigorous hardcore with plenty of singalongs including a slowed-down intro to eternal rock-club-anthem ‘Wake The Dead’ which rouses pretty much every voice present and segues into the original speedy version of the track. Gallows follow admirably with their ever-entertaining on-stage antics, bringing the night to a superb close.

Sunday kicks off for us with Chickenhawk in an absolutely RAMMED Rock Sound tent, rocking the fuck out of an eager crowd. Catching a bit of Failsafe on the main stage, it’s definitely clear to see why they’ve built up a strong underground following. We hear Canterbury from a distance and although they could be seen as slightly out of place on a mainly heavy bill of music, the tunes are solidly catchy and we’re sure they got some people nodding along. Young Guns sound massive on the main stage as their huge-rock tunes get everyone more involved and they leap around like men possessed despite only just arriving from a heavy weekend at Boardmasters in Newquay. Despite our superbly-laid plans to watch The Plight, Polar Bear Club and Glassjaw later that evening, we had to return home and only found out about their performances from enthused tweets and the ensuing online reviews. Still, we did pretty well. Some awesome bands for your buck at Hevy this year. Let’s hope they do similarly well next year!

Winey G

Corsica Studios
08.08.10

As one of London’s very best promoters, it’s now seems standard that Sexbeat should host their own festival. The chosen location is Corsica Studios, which in many ways is the perfect setting for the rabble of scuzzy punk and indie bands that form the bulk of the line-up. Tucked between a couple of railway arches, the venue holds two dark gig spaces and an outside garden, complete with a BBQ serving up ‘Heavy Metal Hot Dogs’. This particular culinary delight is an early highlight in the day’s proceedings.

On to the bands, though, and first up are button pushing electronic duo Dam Mantle. Their eclectic set of beats and bleeps gets heads nodding, with a sound that is at times sample heavy yet at others moody and atmospheric. There must be something in the water over in Glasgow, with Hudson Mohawke, Rustie and now Dam Mantle offering up refreshing takes on beat infused electronic music.

By contrast, there’s nothing particularly refreshing about Cerebral Ballzy. The band look, sound and most probably smell like a product of the 80’s, but are perfectly happy slotting into this mould. This seems to suit the band well, who energise the crowd with their beer soaked retro hardcore. Musically speaking, Cerebral Ballzy aren’t much to shout about, but they’re good to watch and deliver a solid performance here.

Trash Talk are up next, and judging by the gaping hole in front of the stage, their reputation as a ferocious live band now precedes them. There’s really no use in backing off, though, as singer Lee Spielman will find you, and most probably jump on you, regardless of where you stand. It’s a typically strong performance from the Sacramento punks, who are proving they have much more about them than merely the antics of their frontman. Finishing on a storming version of set closer ‘Sacramento is Dead’, it’s no surprise that Trash Talk provide the day’s highlight.

Rounding off my day are Japanese psych rockers Bo Ningen, who play over on Corscia Studios’ second stage. I say on the stage, but the band is in fact set up on the floor amongst the crowd, making for an all the more intimate performance. As ever, Bo Ningen are completely engaging to watch, playing through a fair bit of new material as well live favourites. Bo Ningen are rad. Sexbeat is rad. Rad fest is…rad.

Sleekly Lion