Category: Music

100 Club, London
04.06.08

Given that my teenage years have long since disappeared from my chronological rear-view mirror, it’s probably no great surprise that some of my favourite records are infused with a sense of youthful energy and vitality. Two years ago, Nebraskan folk/pop quintet Tilly And The Wall‘s ‘Bottoms of Barrels‘ album awoke my inner child from his slumber, and this year, Those Dancing Days‘ forthcoming debut album could well have the same effect. The Swedish quintet are indeed a youthful bunch – all five of the girls have only just finished school – and they’ve managed to attract a decent-sized crowd for a wet Wednesday evening.

Support duties go to John and Jehn; she mostly conjures up droning organ sounds, whilst he jerks around the stage like a man possessed, unleashing short, sharp bursts of guitar. They prove to be eerily compelling if you give them a chance; but the constant chatter from the crowd is a clear indication that most folks here tonight just wanna dance.

And who can blame them? Heaven knows the British weather isn’t doing much for our spirits, so Those Dancing Days’ perky hybrid of indie-pop, girl group and Northern Soul influences is a welcome distraction. Clearly delighted that so many fans have shown up tonight, keyboard player Lina bounces around happily behind her instrument, whilst guitarist Rebecka can’t stop grinning as she exchanges knowing glances with her bandmates.

Songs like ‘Discho‘ and previous single ‘Hitten‘ (which translates from Swedish as ‘The Hit‘) are proof enough that this lot are really onto something; with the beautifully melancholic, disaffected tones of vocalist Linnea married to chiming guitars and a sublime organ that swirls and loops itself seductively through your ears. But it is their eponymous set-closer that impresses the most; a relentlessly giddy burst of synth-drenched sunshine that could get a dead donkey on its feet and bopping away to drummer Cissi’s impressive tub-thumping skills.

Their aforementioned debut album is due for release this autumn; you’d be well advised to keep an ear out for it. In the meantime, check out the songs on their Myspace; then get yourself an ice lolly and go play on the swings.

Alex Gosman

Mr Thing

Cargo, London
05.06.08

Pushing through the curtains that divided the bar area from the venue itself, Mr Thing‘s funky breaks got the heads nodding immediately spinning classics from the 80s and 90s before delving into the more moden tunes like Skibadee’s brilliant Tika Toc, Skinnyman’s I’ll Be Surprised and Jehst’s People Under The Weather. The UK DJ did a fine job of getting the increasingly large crowd in that feel good mood and took the rightfully rowdy applause that came his way.

Then it was time for the legendary Z-Trip to take the stage for his first performance in London for some time. The crowd were amped, the DJ was set and everything was ready to kick off, which is just what happened when Justice boomed out as the mash-ups began seeing Nas rapping over the French duo’s beat. From there the Arizona native took us from Dizzee through Teen Spirit [the first of a number of raucous crowd bundles] and Michael Jackson with Rage Against The Macine under him.

From underground hip hop’s masters such as Brother Ali to heavyweights like Gorillaz, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and James Brown, Z-Trip brought heavy hitter after heavy hitter even scratching over some Metallica to get the crowd going wild. There was no let up in the set as he brought out Johnny Cash’s Ring Of Fire and mixed in Kanye West’s Daft Punk sample as if it was the most natural partnership on earth.

As if getting the venue to sing along to Journey wasn’t brilliant enough, he then got a veritable karaoke going with Pink Floyd and Depeche Mode following in quick succession, finally reverting back to the beats with Simon Says‘ vocals over the guaranteed winner Witness. The atmosphere was at boiling point with the London crowd getting into every song, but the mercury broke the thermometre when he dropped Benga’s 26 Basslines, treating us to a short dubstep set [including, inexplicably, Guns & Roses with a dubstep beat].

The night ended with a stage dive-ridden performance of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name and his scratched version of Blackalicious’ Alphabet Aerobics. Earlier in the set he’d said that when he came back to London, he’d be playing Fabric and other such bigger venues, but “right here, right now, this is the raw shit”. And didn’t we all know it. Brilliant.

Abjekt.
Photo by Premise