The ICA – London
6th October 2006
It’s one of those nights at the ICA where all of the crowd have beards, yeah, even the girls! To be honest i don’t get involved with all this bearded fashion malarkey but i guess good rock and roll has always brought fuzz to venues since time began, and tonight will be no different.
Comets on Fire came on stage to ‘Dogwood Rust‘, the opening track of their amazing new album ‘Avatar’ which has got to be one of the most impressive albums to drop all year so far. It twists and turns with its dirty charm as singer Ethan Miller leads the pack with his psychedelic guitar solo’s that could assault the likes of Mudhoney and Monster Magnet at their given best, and still not be picked up by the pigs.
The gig is now rocking with ‘Jaybird‘ and the stage so dark that we could pick up the voice of drummer Utrillo Belcher mentioning to bass wizard Ben Flashman that he “could probably get away with having a wank back here and no one would notice!”…(i heard ya Belcher!)
This track though is a killer tune and deserves it’s hefty praise as this juggernaut continues to roll over the audience song after song with the oozing class of ‘Antlers of the MIdnight Sun‘ and ‘Swallows Eye’ leaving people in a pool of bliss alongside Lucifers Memory also from Avatar that sees the Comets get traditional like Bubble Puppy on the crowds aching ears.
Did i mention it’s fucking loud in here?! These guys do not muck about when it comes down to treading on pedals and the band move around the stage like they were caught on fire from each goddam one as they drop ‘Pussyfoot the Duke‘, ‘Bee and the Cracking Egg’, ‘Whiskey River’ ‘Holly Teeth’ and the electric ‘Ice Age‘ to finish the show.
If you get a chance to see this Santa Cruz outfit live, then don’t miss them for anything, this show was one of the best of the year and maybe by the time they come back to visit blighty again, I will have some bum-fluff ready for them.
Zac
