Category: Live Reviews

Kid Koala

The Roundhouse
13.03.08

If Kid Koala were an expression, he’d be a smile. A big, beaming, toothy smile. The Ninja Tune turntablist gives off an aura of infinite bliss whenever he is behind his decks and as he shuffled behind them to open the night, the feel good vibes resonated around the brilliant Roundhouse venue.

Mixing up funk and hip hop, the Canadian brought the crowds streaming in before knocking them down with his ever trusty and always impressive Moon River routine. Juggling, scratching and mixing seemed as easy as blinking and when he topped it off with an interlude about koalas and their wives, every single person in the house was grinning as much as he was.

Then came the main event. 2 DJs. 8 decks. Numerous guitar pedals and an even larger number of 7 inches. DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist moved out of the darkness and introduced the evening’s ideas via a helpful guide on the screens, explaining there would be no computers involved, they were simply using the much vaunted 45.

The two hour set got underway with a huge blast of noise from the crowd who were then entertained with music from the likes of Aaliyah, The Pharcyde, Digable Planets [which was followed, amazingly, by The Whisper Song by the Ying Yang Twins] and the like. Mixing up Stairway To Heaven with the vocals from Gilligan’s Island was another prime example of the fun the two DJs were having as they crossed over from the UK to the US and back again.

Dizzee Rascal was soon followed by the Foo Fighters and Blur with a casual break where the DJs sat on a patio table at the front of the stage, sipping drinks and reading newspapers before rejoining their equipment. The finale saw them don portable turntables, ask the crowd who liked metal and proceeded to scratch a solo over an early Metallica tune with the record strapped to their chest.

One looped interlude continued to ask “If you were a domestic appliance, what would you be?” with the answer coming back from the sample as “A plug. Definitely a plug”. And on the form these two giants were on, let’s hope that plug would never be pulled out.

Abjekt
Photos by Ian Hsieh

Engine Rooms, Brighton
15/03/2008

It’s early doors on Saturday night at The Engine Rooms, and I arrive just as Brighton’s own Constant State of Terror are plugging in and preparing to unleash a salvo of hard ‘n fast Hardcore Punk that draws its influence primarily from the Mid-Eighties UK Crust scene (read: Sacrilege, Amebix, Anti-Sect) and the explosive aggression of early Poison Idea.

It’s potent shit these guys peddle, and frontman Jules (formerly of Substandard) has a ferocious set of gravel gargling nicotine stained pipes. Good start to the evening. Then a bunch called Insane Society (from nearby Seaford) set up and do their thing. Which is, to these ears, totally redundant and ropey music that is stuck in a glue bag somewhere back in ’82. I retreat to an as-much-out-of-earshot recess to escape their dumb banter and lacklustre racket.

Next competitor…. H8BALL from Eastbourne… these guys have been in existence for some years now, and have had numerous line-up changes, with just the nucleus of bassist Steve and drummer Tezz in place from the old days. Tezz incidentally is definitely a veteran of the local scene, with a track record that goes all the way back to UK ’82 Punks Criminal Damage (from Polegate) and notorious Thrash Metal bruisers Virus. He also served time in Brighton’s MTA along with H8BALL bassist Steve, and CSOT guitarists Peter ‘n Neal… (who were roadies for Virus) jeez, this is all getting more incestuous than an episode of Amish Wife Swap. So yeah, this is H8BALL’s most solid line-up yet, and they’ve got plenty of gigging under their studded belts, which is evident in the slick delivery of their Social D inspired PunknRoll, with big choruses and loud cranking guitars. They’ve build up a decent following along the way too and there’s much action stage front during their set.

So, to close… Discharge. Last time the rejuvenated ‘legends‘ from Stoke played in Brighton they numbered 3 original members, but tonight only guitarist Bones remains. Apparently bassist Rainy is too ill to play on these dates, so his place is taken by former Conflict and Broken Bones man Oddy who proves to be a mighty able replacement. Upfront these days is Varukers singer Rat, who in many ways is like the guy that stepped up from a ‘Priest tribute band and joined his idols/mentors… and must be hoping Calv doesn’t do a Rob Halford (if you will) Funnily enough, although Rat looks nothing like original Discharge singer Calv, he does seem to have adopted some of his stage moves.

Thankfully Rat assures up there will be none of that “Grave New World” malarkey. Thank gawd for that! They kick in with “Never Again” and tear through 45minutes of battering ram Hardcore, and a sound that effectively defined a genre (D-Beat) – in my book some of these songs are legitimate classics… “Protest and Survive” “State Violence/State Control” “Ain’t No Feeble Bastard” and the closing metallic K.O take on “Decontrol” is outstanding. About 27 years ago I remember waiting for my mum and dad in a car park 20minutes walk from tonight’s gig, in my hands a freshly purchased copy of “Decontrol” – my first Discharge record – it looked fuckin’ crazy. And I couldn’t wait to get home and play it. This is important music to me. And tonight the guys on stage gave an authentic representation of said killer music.

Pete Craven

100 Club, London
05/03/08

Tonight, there is little in the way of hysteria on display as we enter the 100 Club. Various band members are wandering around, chatting with the early arrivals, or just helping to set up the merch stand.

Coupled with the intimacy of the venue, it’s a reminder of what Gallows themselves would probably be reluctant to call ‘the good old days’. The fact that they spent most of those early days in an almost constant state of near-collapse was well documented on the original release of their ‘Orchestra Of Wolves‘ album; so you’d forgive Frank Carter and co if they didn’t want to re-tread old boards after the success of their recent UK tour (including a sold-out show at the Astoria).

But in hardcore circles, topping the NME’s Cool List doesn’t count for much if you can no longer deliver the kind of performance for which you’re renowned. Kudos, then to Gallows, for attempting to silence the doubters no less than four times over in this most historic of clubs.

“It stands for Simply Soft Skin!” growls SSS vocalist Foxy, with regard to his band’s name. Super-Scary Scousers, more like. The Liverpool thrash crew may match their kindred spirits (and labelmates) Municipal Waste in terms of sheer unbridled energy, but make no mistake: this ain’t no party thrash. As Foxy prowls the venue’s floor, spitting the lyrics of ‘Damaged Goods‘ into the face of anyone who dares look even slightly bored, it’s evident that SSS are offering up something darker, more aggressive, and more goddamn British than most of their peers. Yep, this is thrash with a bad attitude – and it sounds fucking vital.

Another of Gallows’ former tour-buddies, Set Your Goals, are also in the house, and they delight the increasingly packed masses with an impromptu two-song performance. The rabid crowd enthusiasm of their own gigs may be lacking, but their signature anthem ‘Mutiny’ still sounds impressively huge tonight.

There are a fair few gawpers assembled for the headliners. You know, the kind of folks who don’t really get involved in the gig, and instead just stand on the periphery of the crowd, looking half-curious, half-confused. Each to their own, and all that, but as said crowd goes utterly apeshit to Gallows’ opening salvo of ‘Abandon Ship‘, ‘Come Friendly Bombs‘ and ‘Kill The Rhythm‘, it’s clear that you have get in close to truly feel the impact (literal and metaphorical) of the Watford Five.

You see, the biggest thrill of tonight comes from witnessing Gallows rip through their set with all the unrestrained, visceral glory of old. The elements of danger and unpredictability – so often quelled by a crowd barrier – are back with a vengeance; with Frank balancing precariously on a monitor to howl the lyrics of ‘Will Someone Shoot That Fucking Snake‘ right into the faces of the front rows. Throughout every song, both band and crowd thrive on the intimacy, and by the time ‘Orchestra Of Wolves‘ brings the night to a teeth-rattling finish, Frank can’t help but smile as the microphones are swallowed up by the huge mass of flailing limbs beneath him.

The wolves may be better fed and cared for these days, but don’t be fooled into thinking that they’ve been tamed. Major label or not, they can still easily tear you apart at close quarters – and for that, you should be grateful.

Alex Gosman

The Ghost Of A Thousand
The Plight
Blackhole
Hexes

The Barfly, Camden
21.02.08

Words: Abjekt
Photos: Marianne Harris

I spend most of my time listening to hip hop and other beats-related music, but when a line up as good as this comes around, I couldn’t say no. We got to the venue towards the very end of the Hexes set and even in the short space of time we were there, it is clear to hear their love of Refused.

Blackhole were up next as the confident youngest Carter stepped to the front to tell the crowd “We’re from a place called Hemel and we fucking love playing London”. The cheers subsided and Not That This Is A Bad Thing threw the floor-punching kids into a frenzy, leaving me feeling like the old man I now am. Blazing through Witches and Forever, the Southern Rock tinged band proved they have just what it takes to go places, and justified their addition to the upcoming Every Time I Die tour.

Leeds’ The Plight stormed the stage with the barrelling drum intro to Clarendon, whipping the already pumped crowd up even further, heads thrashing, arms flailing and feet kicking their way around the full Barfly. Pull The Trigger and It Only Gets Worse pounded out before some new tracks were showcased. On the strength of tonight’s performance, The Plight are one of those must-see live bands, they were fucking belting.

Then it was time for headliners The Ghost Of A Thousand. The crowd were baying for the Brighton hardcore five piece and they didn’t disappoint, charging headfirst into the brilliant tracks Left For Dead, Bored Of Math and Black Art Number 1, shouting out their dads and screaming their way so far into people’s eardrums that it was a surprise anyone was left with hearing at the finish.

A truly brilliant night with the 3 main bands giving their all and sucking as much energy from the crowd as they were giving out on stage.

O2 Arena – London
28/02/08

The Cribs
Klaxons
Bloc Party
Kaiser Chiefs
Manic Street Preachers

Words: Cait Mogridge
Pics: NME

It’s hard not to be disappointed when a gig is hyped as much as the NME Big Gig was, but disappointed I was not. As soon as I walked in the door of the new O2 Arena I was surrounded by people desperately offering me exclusive access to this, and free entry to that. I managed to shake them off and had a wander round the venue and stumbled across Noel Fielding signing autographs for screaming girls. He did win ‘sexiest male’ in the NME awards…

Into the Arena and the show kicked off with a ridiculously energetic performance from Wakefield’s favourite band, The Cribs. Their punchy songs were only interrupted when front man, Ryan Jarman stopped to say, “this is a billion pound’s worth of venue you’re all sitting in, a billion pound!” in his memorable west Yorkshire accent. It took me a while to notice the average audience member wasn’t old enough to buy a pint but the appearance of the Smiths’ Johnny Marr mid set certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Next up were the Klaxons, who came to the stage in full length black cloaks and more eye makeup than could be found in Gerard Way’s makeup bag, both of which seemed to completely disintegrate before the end of their set. Songs like “Golden Skans” and “Atlantis to Interzone” got everyone moving with the so called inventors of new rave.

Dj sets between bands provided by Radio One’s Zane Lowe made sure the kid’s energy levels never fell below hyperactive. The combination of alcohol, e-numbers and splashes of Pendulum and such like seemed to take hold of everyone in the pit. I could only imagine how sweaty they must have been by the end.

But for many, Bloc Party were the highlight of the evening with an awesome set complete with pyrotechnics, smoke and streamers. As always, their chillingly indie riffs and meaningful lyrics got to everyone, even though they prefer to play more intimate venues.

Afterwards I grabbed a chat and an extortionately priced beer with the UK’s quietest guitarist Russell Lissack, and asked him how he thought it went. His comment: “Well it was a bit hot under those lights”. He was more concerned about the fact that security wouldn’t let his Mum backstage.

“Why the f*ck didn’t you vote for The Cribs to win anything?”, was the way Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson chose to start before launching into a set of irritatingly catching pop records. It was evident they had experience in playing stadium sized venues, the crowd almost gave you the eye if you weren’t going nuts and singing na-na-na-na-naa in the appropriate places.

All this of course, was building up to the performance from the winners of this years’ Godlike Genius award, The Manic Street Preachers. Although they seemed to be the ‘odd one out’ in many ways, they certainly caught our attention by opening with a marching band of bagpipe players that filled the whole stage. They then treated us to a set spanning the length of their career, including classics like “Motorcycle Emptiness” and their more recent release “Autumn song”. As they played, slogans panned around a screen at the edge of the arena, memorizing its viewers.

They also managed to cram in an amazing cover of this last summer’s hit ‘Umbrella’ by Rihanna and a version of ‘She Sells sanctuary’ by The Cult. Just when we thought they’d run out of surprises, Welsh rocker Cerys Mathews of Catatonia appears on stage to sing ‘Your love alone is not enough’ for an awesome finale. “We’re very f*cking happy taffs tonight”, James shouts out, before tearfully thanking NME. I think that was obvious from the start.

So do I think I’ll be sat in the front row for the awards next year? After this years’ show, I certainly hope so.

Islington Academy – London
4/3/08

Things seem to have gone into over drive for You Me At Six in the last few months. Only 6 months ago they were low on the bill with Lights Action! and Saosin, but fast forward six months and they’re supporting Chicago’s punk pop heroes ‘The Audition‘, playing to a packed out Islington Academy and having every word of every track sung back word perfect, waves of adulation streaming from every corner of the venue.

One thing’s for sure, this five piece from Surrey are certainly doing something right.

Surfing on the wave of American emo/pop punk/screamo that’s seemingly endlessly crashing over the Atlantic to the UK, You Me At Six have been compared to Panic At The Disco, Taking Back Sunday and Elliot Minor, and on first glance you can see why, with their skinny jeans, swept aside fringes and perfectly sullen scene look, but they let their music do the talking, and from the time they bound onto stage they have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands – with an mercilessly up-tempo, exciting set.

Armed with a batch of catchy songs that translate effortlessly well on stage the band manage to combine British charm with a scene sense of direction. They just can’t be faulted for the energy rolling off the stage and sheer presence, and when The Audition’s front man Danny Stevens joins them on stage for a rendition of ” Save it For The Bedroom” the crowds are whipped into a frenzy. “ If I Were in Your Shoes” has the crowds singing back word for word, but it’s the cover of Rhianna’s Umbrella which threatens the blow the roof off.

As they leave the stage You Me At Six can be sure that they’re won over the crowd, and with a slot at Give It A Name in April, they seem on course to be one of the success stories of 2008. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

Dee Massey

Plus: Madina Lake, Fightstar, Circa Survive.
Southampton Guildhall
28/01/08

There’s a somewhat curious reception for Circa Survive this evening. Perhaps it’s because as the clock strikes 7:30 the band are already onstage, despite tickets for tonight’s show advertising a similar door time. More likely, however, is the fact that their experimental, ultimately ambient soundscapes are a totally new experience for most of the crowd in attendance. Front man Anthony Green’s distinctive howl cuts through the air like a hot knife through butter, and though it can often become slightly overpowering, their short set – one that’s attracted fans from as far a field as Norway – sets the tone for the night ahead regardless.

The moment Charlie Simpson strides out this evening, the howl that goes up from just about every female in attendance is deafening. Although the Fightstar vocalist may never truly escape the shadow of his past, when he and his band mates blast into the likes of Deathcar, with its Deftones-heavy undertones that see Simpson handing his guitar over to a tech and racing around the stage in a blur of bushy eyebrows, it’s clear that this is very much a real band, rather than the novelty so many would have dismissed it as two years ago.

Say what you will about them on record, but from the moment Madina Lake stride out to the ecstatic wails of thousands, the Chicago four-piece prove themselves to be one of the most thoroughly entertaining and energetic live bands on the circuit. With the crowd in full voice, singing along with lung-bursting passion to the likes of Pandora and the anthemic House Of Cards, tonight their energy is utterly infectious. As they unleash four giant, confetti-filled balloons upon the crowd, it’s impossible to deny that this is a band that knows how to work a crowd just as well as Bill Gates can work a laptop, culminating with front man Nathan Leone diving headfirst into the crowd.

Despite such antics, tonight it’s Coheed & Cambria who shine brightest. Currently a seven-piece band – featuring a keyboard player and two backing singers, so as to ensure the band lost none of the prominent vocal harmonies that are such a huge part of their sound on record – the New Yorkers sounds as massive as they now look. Plundering most of their now impressive catalogue, songs like the ever-present Favor House Atlantic get the entire crowd singing, while new cuts such as Gravemakers And Gunslingers ensure a similarly large amount of movement.

There’s even a rampant run through Iron Maiden’s The Trooper for good measure, main man Claudio Sanchez aiming his guitar at the crowd like a gun and shredding with the grin of a man possessed. It’s the mark of a band growing bigger with every show – both in popularity and confidence – a fact that’s evident during set closer Welcome Home. A song of epic proportions in its own right, tonight it positively soars, visibly and sonically boosted by the mammoth line-up before us. As the song reaches its guitar-led climax, a thousand colours dancing in the background as a thousand fists pump the air, you can’t help but wonder just how high Coheed & Cambria may rise in the coming months and years. You wonder just how many people the band may consist of next time they grace our shores. Above all else, you wonder just how incredible such a spectacle may actually be.

Ryan Bird

Photos by Graham Pentz @ G-Tizzle Photography

A State Of Mind
My Left Retina

Cargo, London
30.01.08

When someone like Aesop Rock comes to play a show in London years after his last jaunt here, it’s no surprise that the bar is rammed even before the doors to the stage area are open, nor is it a surprise that people are willing to pay over the odds for tickets outside. However, props must go to the guy who thought his “No, honestly, I just rang the venue and they said to put my name on the list now and let me in” ploy would work, much to the chagrin of the woman on the door.

Opening up proceedings was My Left Retina, who played a brilliant set of lo-fi beats, mixing in elements of dubstep and hip hop into his atmospherics, all the while sweating in his all in one jumpsuit. Getting the place going at such an early stage is an unenviable task but with a combination of head nodding tracks and fearsome bassliness, MLR gets the vibe started and deserves all the plaudits he gets.

Next up is A State Of Mind who have recently brought out an EP with Skrein. With a dude on the MPC, a turntablist cutting it up and one of their members hitting vocoders, flutes and keyboards, the backing was set nicely for the two MCs to take charge. Feel good hip hop was the order of the night and it wasn’t long before the call and response have gotten underway. The two frontmen fed off each other really well and it gave an extremely well rounded performance to set up the arrival of the Jukies.

With DJ Big Wiz set up behind him and larger-than-life Rob Sonic as his reliable wing-man, Aes dropped in a set that took the roof off the venue. Rolling through tracks from his latest album None Shall Pass including the title track, Bring Back Pluto and Catacomb Kids as well as running with old favourites such as No Regrets [over 3 different beats, top that!] and Fast Cars, Danger, Fire And Knives, it was as if he’d never been away.

Sonic got some frontman time too which drew a great response from the crowd before the rappers left the stage for Big Wiz to do his thing. The only blemish on the night was the fat moron who go on the stage during the big finale of favourite Daylight, though the silver lining came in the form of an Aes freestyle so all’s well that ends well.

Abjekt

Madam Jojo’s – London
21st February 2008

After all these years I really should know better: there’s no such thing as a quiet drink with Harrison. So when I got a phone call from him at one minute to five, telling me that Son of Dave was playing tonight and our names where on the door I really should have said no and hung up, But I didn’t.

Surrounded by the seediness of Brewer and Old Compton Street, Madame JoJo’s in Soho is a great little venue to watch live music. Sliding up to the bar as the support entertained, a mixed crowd soon filled the place as the street above filtered in around us, along with a fine array of hats and facial hair.

Ben Darvill (aka Son of Dave) of course, was the best dressed of them all, with his handmade brogues and 50’s hats, cotton trousers and a wizard’s coat. Harmonica in his left hand and shaker in his right, he belted out songs such as ‘Goddamm‘ and ‘Devil Take My Soul‘. Stamping his feat to loop beats and screaming through his harp mike, he distorted out of his old Vox amp to create a hip hop, bluegrass sound that you couldn’t help but move to.

Mixing it all up with his dark wit and even bringing the audience on stage to drink with him – the whole performance was mesmerising. With husky backing singers adding yet another dimension the show didn’t fail to entertain yet again. I’ve heard his sound recorded in the past and, though it sounds great, it doesn’t do him justice: you simply have to see him live. And you can – he’s on tour round the UK for the next few months.

Needless to say we left the club in high spirits, that rolled on until the early hours … and ended with bad hangovers and no work done the next day – but better for it. As I say, it’s never a quiet drink with Harrison.

Review by Colesy
Pic by Harrison

Astoria – London
Sunday 25th February

I think it’s pretty safe to say that there really are only two types of people in this world. Those who get Enter Shikari, and those who don’t. For many, they just don’t fit.

They aren’t this genre, they aren’t that. They are however, fortunate as tonight London’s Astoria was packed to the rafters with those who ‘do’, and if there’s anything a real Shikari fan knows more than anything, it’s that the live performances are something special. Nay. Explosive. With a two month gap between this and their last UK show, tonight – things were guaranteed to be special.

With enough pyrotechnics to make November 5th dull the St. Albans quartet launch onto the stage to self titled track ‘Enter Shikari’, quickly afterwards upping the tempo and diving into ‘The Feast‘. At this point it’s evident that tour fatigue has set in quite considerably and the band, valiant as they struggle to keep the pace up throughout the rest of the set. ‘Anything Can Happen In The Next Half Hour‘ is warmly received but ‘Labyrinth‘ and ‘Johnny Sniper‘ win the awards for being the biggest crowd pleasers of the night.

A standard semi-acoustic version of ‘Adieu‘ is met with cheers and a vocal volley but with a metal-bastardisation of the Faithless track ‘Insomnia’ the band take the notably young crowd into a frenzy, almost the icing on the cake. ‘Mothership‘ follows and with an encore of ‘Sorry You’re Not A Remix‘ and then of course the original ‘Sorry You’re Not a Winner‘, the band leave an audience cowering in their wake.

It’s fair to say tonight that the band struggled a little bit. The set was lively, and the guys really pulled it out the bag at the end but mid-way through it was evident that essentially, they need to rest, and you know what? I don’t think any of their fans will begrudge them that. Shikari are one of the most exciting live bands on the UK scene and even at half mast they have more energy than most. Go and write your new album…we look forward to the insanity.

Gary Lancaster