Live Music Reviews – Gigs and Festivals – Clash Music

Virgin Atlantic Barbados Music Festival

ClashMusic — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:37:31 +0000

Fact one: everybody loves music festivals. If you don’t, you’re an idiot. Fact two: nobody likes standing around in the pissing rain for three solid days while your body dabbles with hypothermia. If you do like this, you’re an idiot.

Unfortunately, in the UK these two phenomena have a habit of coexisting. One way of solving the problem is to build a giant retractable roof over every single UK festival site, a la Wimbledon’s new Centre Court. The other way is to slack off the misery of the UK for a few days and head to a party-centric festival on an idyllic beach in Barbados. Any takers for the first option? Thought not.

The Virgin Atlantic Barbados Music Festival has been offering music, rum and fun on a small but beautiful southern corner of the island for three years now, and though you don’t have to try too hard to entice people to this kind of setting, a stellar musical line-up helped seal the deal.

Friday night saw a few of the rockier outfits open proceedings at a local bar, including Anglo-French retro rock act The Incredible Flyin’ Strings and Are You Experienced – a Hendrix tribute. And don’t give me no lip about tribute bands either – these lads were excellent, with John Campbell’s guitar wailing like the ghost of Hendrix, including some authentic teeth-on-string action during ‘All Along the Watchtower’, and other Hendrix staples.

Day two, and after speeding down to the secluded beach setting of Surfer’s Bay, the fact that you’re on a paradisaical Caribbean island really hits home: stalls serving cheap and delicious rum concoctions (maybe it’s the climate or the rum or both but it just tastes BETTER out here) nestle under palm trees as the sea laps away behind you. And the glorious Caribbean sun ain’t too shabby either – made even sweeter by knowing that it was tipping it down back in the UK. Whilst my brain struggled to accept that I was actually experiencing this ridiculously delightful scene, Local Bajan act The Fully Loaded Band climbed onstage to relay their captivating brand of melodic rock-tinged reggae to the crowd. A fine way to kick things off.

Headliners Dub Pistols, who were in perkier form than I after several nights of carnage (they do it for a living, I do it for a holiday. They won), arrived on stage to a predictably rapturous reception and played an absolute blinder of a set. Performing tracks from all four albums – and aided by the considerable lyrical skills of UK hip hop legend Rodney P and local Barbadian reggae heavyweight Red Star Lion – the Pistols’ melting pot of ska, hip hop, dub, live beats and a punky edge was the perfect soundtrack to the good-time vibe of the festival, with some well-placed roots in the local music scene.

Songs from latest album ‘Rum and Coke’ such as ‘Revitalise’ and ‘Peace of Mind’ went down a treat, before the band finished off with The Specials’ classic ‘Gangsters’, which saw the crowd bouncing along with Pistols’ singer and co-founder Barry Ashworth. Superb stuff. Catching up with the band after the show, I asked the band’s other co-founder, bassist Jason O’Bryan, how it went: “Hot! The set went really well, but it was hot up there – I had to lose the suit jacket pretty quickly!” Indeed – the Caribbean climate and a three-piece are always going to be a tough combo to pull off.

By Sunday, my quest to drink the festival (read: island) dry of marvellous local tipple Banks beer remained sadly unfulfilled (though the Dub Pistols and I put in a valiant effort all the same), but no matter, as there was still more music and misadventure to be had, as we saw the plug get pulled, literally, by the police during the second Are You Experienced set of the weekend. Apparently a ninety-five-year-old resident was none too pleased at the sound of Hendrix being perfectly recreated down the road from her. The show, of course, went on, and John retaliated by breaking out the lighter fluid and burning the shit out of his Stratocaster before hurling it across the stage. Jimi would no doubt be proud.

Sunday’s headline act was the Martin Harley Band – an enchanting three-piece from the UK who provided a fantastic set of lush blues and energetic, rootsy numbers, displaying more flair than many musicians I’ve seen over the years. The fact that all three are incredibly talented musicians also kind of helped, with Martin playing some outstanding slide guitar throughout the set, before finishing with – of all things – a slide cover of Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’. Very nice indeed.

Desperately plotting a way to ‘miss’ my impending flight home – it’s hard to leave paradise once you’re there – I made my way over to the bar and the impossibly pretty barmaids for one last rum. It seemed rude not to.

Words and photos by Tristan Parker

Dubai Sound City - Saturday

ClashMusic — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:56:29 +0000

What the hell is going on in Dubai? These workaholics seem to only party on one day of the week. While Friday night was bustling, Saturday looks to be dying on its arse.

It’s such a shame, as there’s some class acts today. Nitin Sawnhey, often called the most talented man in the world, for some unknown reason takes an early slot and plays to a grand total of about 20 people, leaving a later time for the agonisingly horrendous The Parlotones from South Africa and their bland, bland, bland mellow tripe. Why? Apparently, the Parlotones' bass player wasn’t allowed in to Dubai, so I’m guessing he is the brains behind their success to date.

The schedule on this final day is a bit of a mess, mainly because of Echo and the Bunnymen’s last minute cancellation. It means the Super Furry Animals and Liverpool scallies The Wombats have to bare the brunt of the final day of this festival, which they do marvellously by the way.

After an unspectacular offering by Alphabeat, The Wombats rip the place up, finally bringing some energy to the crowd. Either they are die hard fans at the front, or just releasing some internal frustration. Whatever it is, it is great. With the best of their small bunch of songs, like 'Laura', 'Patricia The Stripper' and 'Let’s Dance to Joy Division' and an amazingly mental 'Moving to New York', there is jumping, cheering and many a sweaty flick of hair. ‘We thought we’d try and be Dubai Sound City’s sweatiest band…I think we’ve pulled it off,’ says the dripping singer.

Apparently the organisers received mountains of abuse from Dubai’s teens, who couldn’t see their idols because of the tight over 21s only policy. Poor lot – this would have been a dream come true. The late 20-somethings went crazy on their behalf though.

The end of The Wombats leaves the night in one band's hands. ‘We’re Echo and the Bunnymen from Cardiff,’ said the Super Furry Animal’s Gruff Rhys to rapturous applause before crouching gnome-like at the front of the stage to sing an understated and beautiful 'Slow Life'. While the band look like some aging rockers on stage after the wrinkleless youth of The Wombats (I think their average age is about 17), their ability to mesmorise and wow their audience with some top tunes from their last nine albums is clear. They are, to put it simply, amazing.

'Rings Around the World', while a little ramshackled, is beautful, ending in a mass of electro fuzz. 'Justapose With You', 'Hello Sunshine' and 'Demons' are sweet and the jumping, cheering bodies of just an hour ago are replaced with eyes starring in wonder. While the night and Dubai Sound City comes to an end, a band forced to censor their set list because their songs were deemed too political play 'Crazy Naked Girls', whether as a plug for their last album or a subtle couple of fingers up to this strict nation's rule makers. The hugeness of the song, Bunf's screeching vocals and blues-ey guitar riff, and layer upon layer of ear-splitting immense racket is perfect. Not only is the band having a great time, but Dubai Sound City is left musically content.

So while this little taste of Liverpool's music scene has been wracked with problems, while ticket sales were obviously pretty low and beer so expensive, and while the atmosphere was some what none existent in the day time, we must remember that this is the first festival of its kind here. First festivals are always a nightmare, without a ten hour flight and so many risks of prison getting the way. It means that Dubai's Sound City must be tough to put together and all credit must go to the organisers for making a great job out of something so easy to go wrong.

Here's hoping that Sound City makes it back to Dubai for 2010 and that a last minute 'illness' outbreak doesn't get in the way.

Words By Gemma Hampson
Photos by Mark McNulty

Broken Records

ClashMusic — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:05:27 +0000

“We’ve only been on tour for three days and everything is fucked,” says Broken Records lead singer Jamie Sutherland. The band have broken off their performance in West London’s Bush Hall, faced with short-lived technical difficulties. But if this is Broken Records when things go wrong, seeing them on a good night must be mind-blowing.

White Belt Yellow Tag provide a compatible warm up and a pleasing enough precursor, but are sadly forgettable compared to what follows – the sparklers to this evening’s sky-filling rockets, if you will (it is the 5th of November after all).

Broken Records have, now infamously, been called the ‘Scottish Arcade Fire’, and onstage the seven-piece have a similarly bold presence and epic reach. Their arrangements are often dense enough to be called chamber pop, but musically they far more often swerve to folk-inspired instrumentation, either connecting with their Celtic roots or drawing from continental traditions with accordion and gypsy violin.

While debut album ‘Until The Earth Begins To Part’ is dominated by melancholy and even flirts with despair, much of Broken Records’ performance tonight is more about making people dance. Sutherland has been criticised for overblown melody lines that drown out the rest of the band, but onstage the whole band come alive, revealing both the subtleties of their more tender songs and the wildness of their most fierce ones.

The audience (who admittedly don’t fill the suitably opulent venue) are transfixed into silence one minute and fired up into frantic dancing the next, and call the band out for a triumphant encore. Fireworks might be exploding outside but the night’s real celebrations are going on in here.

Words by Steve Harris

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Read ClashMusic's Ones To Watch feature on the band, from March 2008, HERE

Dubai Sound City - Friday

ClashMusic — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:48:23 +0000

The headlining acts were met with a sea of faces on Friday, which is lovely to see after the sparseness of the opening day. It is, quite literally, rammed.

While the daytime acts go down okay, they are not what pull the crowd. The buzz is most definitely about the Happy Mondays. Will Shaun Ryder turn up? Can he cope with the no booze and no swearing? Will Bez be wearing an overcoat?

After a slow start and a lot of hanging around while prayers took over (didn’t someone tell them it was the Sabbath?), the night gets going.

Gabriella Climi is chaperoned on site by her mum and needs a special license to perform, being that she’s still a child, but her performance of harmless pop is a good one. ‘Sweet About Me’ had the crowd singing and she wins over a few stubborn souls with her 'Whole Lotta Love' cover.

The Automatic, minus the small shouty one, play fast and loud and everyone joins in on ‘What’s That Coming Over The Hill’, but they sound pretty average and bit last year, as do The Courteeners, who play a mix of noisy indie and a tiny slice of twee.

Ocean Colour Scene take the second from top spot on the night, which is an odd choice being that they haven’t done anything good since 1995. ‘Fight No More’, ‘Hundred Mile High City’ and 'The Day We Caught The Train’ are entertaining enough, but the rest is dull as dish water. It doesn’t matter though, as the atmosphere builds for the Manchester headliners.

The first disappointment? No Bez. Apparently he was ‘taken ill’ and couldn't get on the flight. Make of that what you will. Shaun does his best, but he looks a shadow of his former self, hanging near the back of the stage and struggling to hear his monitors. With his finger in his ear for half the set, it looked like he was singing down a mobile phone. To give him credit though, with such strict laws and Shaun’s well-known reliance on certain things back home, it was almost a miracle that he made on stage at all. And to given him even more credit, after a couple of songs to settle in, Shaun perks up a little and makes some hilarious observations. "We’ve had to cut some of this song because we’re not allowed to swear on stage. You’d get two years or something," he says just before an "fuck" slip up and a "shit" mistake. Oops!

‘Step On’ opened the show, but instead of blasting these fans, (who you have to remember have been pretty much starved of live music for months), with the hits they crave, the Mondays choose to showcase some newer material. It kind of doesn’t matter though, especially as ‘Loose Fit’ and ‘Kinky Afro’ give the crowd exactly what their after.

The biggest disappointment of the day was hearing that De La Soul hadn’t made it leaving a bit of a gap in the schedule.

Saturday is quiet as a mouse and the crowd is thin on the ground again for bands like Alphabeat, The Wombats and Super Furry Animals. Even Nitin Sawnhey had to cope with playing in front of about 20 people.

It’s a shame and it doesn’t look set to get better after the news that Echo & the Bunnymen aren’t turning up for the headline slot due to another ‘illness’. With so many sales expected on the night, it could be a disaster for Sound City. Let’s hope SFA pull a bit of magic out the bag to keep everyone going.

Words by Gemma Hampson

Biffy Clyro Live - Southampton

ClashMusic — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:15:36 +0000

It’s a shame that the Scottish three piece had to play Southampton so early on in the tour, not anything negative on their part, rather the fact that the tours main support, Canada’s much hyped Manchester Orchestra are currently completing a support slot in the USA and are unable to fill their early commitments.

In their place are Tellison, a West London based indie foursome who despite their best efforts just lack any kind of punch to wake up the early arrivals. If Tellison lacked a punch then Pulled Apart By Horses could give Mike Tyson a run for his money. What follows is a brash crescendo of organised chaos in danger of falling apart at any second. While not as radio friendly as their hosts, PABH put in a stellar shift that will have bought the boys from Leeds numerous new admirers.

The large curtain that had split the stage is now removed to reveal a lighting rig as epic as Biffy Clyro’s sound. The usual chants of “'mon the Biff” seem somewhat muted for a change before they strut out onstage to deliver a monstrous 23 song set, starting off with 'Only Revolutions' opener 'That Golden Rule'. A set that promises both old and new, is better defined as 'Puzzle' and new, with only 4 songs taken from the 3 albums that preceded their eponymous breakthrough to the mainstream. Not that there will be too many complaints from tonight's sold out crowd.

Each cut from Biffy Clyro’s 2007 release is warmly received by a crowd seemingly happy to just stand still and soak up the spectacle before them. It’s not until the set draws to a close with the aptly named 'Saturday Superhouse' and latest single 'The Captain' that really raises the intensity in the crowd. By the time the encore rolls around Simon Neil has removed his shirt to reveal the live look that has become a trademark for many a Biffy Clyro fan over the years, and even if the acoustic driven 'As Dust Dances' slows down the heartbeat of the audience, and makes me wish that people still swayed their lighters to slow songs, before 'Mountains' picks the audience back up and sends them off into the night.

Words and Photo by Benji Walker

Jay-Z Live

ClashMusic — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:52:11 +0000

Tickets for this one-off performance at London’s Alexandra Palace sold out in 15 seconds. Certainly the excitement is palpable amongst the 7000-strong crowd crushed into the grand Main Hall, the sense of anticipation heightened by the giant digital count-down on the enormous on-stage video screens.

On cue, Jay Z swaggers on stage wearing sunglasses and “all black everything”, and tears through a selection of cuts from latest album, 'The Blueprint 3', including ‘D.O.A’ and ‘Run This Town’. The full backing band adds some real percussive punch to ‘99 Problems’ and gets the crowd dancing to the futuristic funk of the Pharrell Williams' produced ‘I’m a Hustler, Baby’.

From such a promising opening, the set begins to fall a little flat. Jay-Z introduces Memphis Bleek to help hype the crowd but curiously Jay himself doesn’t seem to get out of second gear. There are pauses between songs, the ‘H-to-the-Izzo’ segue into Jackson 5’s ‘I Want you Back’ doesn’t quite work and the crowd seem unfamiliar with much of the slower material off the new album.

Jay Z’s ode to NY, the epic if somewhat cringe-worthy ‘Empire State of Mind’, gets the crowd singing along but they seem distracted, frustrated even, as Jay then auto-pilots through a medley of hits. Jay-Z’s flow and superlative word-play are what set him apart as the CEO of hip-hop but the crowd gets to enjoy little of this. It’s all chorus and bluster. He teases with the piano loop of ‘Lucifer’ but then cuts straight into the pomp of ‘Crazy in Love’. A couple of verses of ‘Big Pimpin’ enliven sections of the audience but as Jay-Z exits the stage, the crowd aren’t particularly vocal for his return.

Jay-Z comes back on stage to play, inevitably, ‘Encore’ and brings out... ahem... “protege” Mr Hudson for an ill-conceived rendition of ‘Young Forever’. As Jay Z bids the crowd goodnight with backing band playing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (huh?), the lights go up and we head home, somewhat confused and ever-so-slightly disappointed.

Words by Steven Appleyard

Dubai Sound City - Thursday

ClashMusic — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:43:04 +0000

Thursday: Before...

It’s 35 degrees and blue skies in Dubai.

Probably the perfect place for a November music festival. But, strangely, it’s probably some of the headliners’ idea of hell. Strict laws on drugs mean you could land in prison if caught with a grain of anything even remotely illegal, booze is only sold in controlled areas and anything featuring tits or arse is definitely out of the question.

So, did I mention the Happy Mondays head the bill tomorrow night? It could be the blandest or the weirdest performance of their career.

But that’s tomorrow. Today we have their old mates The Farm kicking off the evening ahead of The Futureheads, Doves and Human League, as well as day time sessions from Bicycle Thieves, Sound of Guns, The Dirty Skirts and Aslan. An odd combination for an odd festival setting I’m sure you’ll agree.

And when the bands finish and the sun sets, there’s plenty more fun to be had, including dancing til the wee hours on what was voted the 58th best club in the world in 2009 by DJ Mag – a disc of a club set out on a jetty with a rooftop dance floor boasting 360 degree vies of the city and sea.

Thursday: After...

This could be the strangest festival in the world. After almost ten hours on a plane, you’d expect a different culture, a different view or at least a feeling of being somewhere different. But Sound City is just a little bit of England transported to a place with better weather.

Almost all of the festival-goers supping £5 a pint beers in the Irish Village – a squeaky-clean sports venue with a capacity of 6,000 and the main site for the festival – are English. All the bands that are playing are English. Every one you meet speaks English. Oh, and the only food you can buy on site is pies!

Yet, because it’s mainly ex-pats here all working in high-flying jobs, it’s also the most conservative festival. Even when headliners Human League take to the stage, it’s easy to stroll straight to the front and get a glimpse of the 80’s wonders in their bright white suits and sparkly dresses.

But setting aside, it’s still a music festival.

Dubai is built on a working culture, so unfortunately for the opening bands, they are pretty much playing to the festival staff and a handful of journalists. I feel particularly sorry for Tim Hassall + August Company, a local band who have a few moments of loveliness, but only have an audience of eight watching them.

A few more people pour in by early evening to hear the poor man’s Cherry Ghost that is Aslan, voted best band in the Meteor Irish Music Awards 2008. A band with the same greatness as Narnia’s lion, the programme says, but the only big thing on stage here is the singer’s ego. They are hugely unoriginal and incredibly dull.

The Farm mark the beginning of the headline acts and, despite the vocals being way too loud, they don’t sound too bad (partly due to the backing track they use to beef up the sound a little). Even though the crowd is still thin on the ground, they have some die-hard fans shouting every word, especially during the better known singles of 'Stepping Stone', 'Groovy Train' and, of course, 'All Together Now'.

The rules of no drink on stage and definitely no drugs is a first for the band, but it doesn’t seem to quash their enthusiasm. ‘This is the first time you’d have seen The Farm on stage without alcohol. How are the Monday’s going to get on?’ says front man Peter Hooton, referring to what will inevitably be a very strange Happy Monday’s set on Friday.

The Futureheads follow with their now-stale sounding jagged pop and, while quite an exciting performance, it doesn’t set the world alight. 'These Are The Days and Nights' and 'Hounds of Love' goes down well, but it somehow seems more out of fashion than The Farm.

The Irish Village is pretty packed by the time Doves take to the stage and there’s a new vibe about the place. The buzz has finally arrived, the beer is flowing and it’s still gloriously warm.

'Cease The Day' gets a huge reaction, and one that’s deserved, as does 'Kingdom of Rust', played in front of a big screen showing images of London just to make everyone feel a little homesick. But it’s 'Black and White Town' and 'There Goes The Fear' that are the real highlights.

But while Doves go down a storm, it’s the Human League that everyone is waiting for. It’s fair to say that a large proportion of the crowd is of a certain age and there is many a cry of ‘they’re my hero’. Really? Phil Oakey?

With two synths, electric drums and what can only be described as a Mac booth on stage, all brilliant white, it was the epitome of the 80s, especially as it is more of a Human League greatest hits than any new stuff. Thank God!

'Get Around Town', 'Being Boiled', 'Love Action', a reworked version of 'Lebanon' and 'Human' have everyone singing at the top of their lungs and, despite a few morons at the front being a bit too bolshy for their own good, the festival is on fine form.

The best is saved until last and the headliners end with 'Don’t You Want Me', 'Keep Feeling Fascination' and 'Electric Dreams'. It is enough to impress even a massive 80s hater like me, but I guess that like the rest of the crowd, it just makes you feel like a kid again with no worries and no responsibility. Isn’t that what a festival’s supposed to do?

Friday sees another odd mix of bands, from Gabriella Climi and The Automatic to The Courteeners and Ocean Colour Scene, ending with the sober sober Mondays. It’ll be…interesting!

Words by Gemma Hampson
Photo by Mark Mcnulty

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Read a review of Friday at Dubai Sound City HERE.

Dananananaykroyd Live

ClashMusic — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:15:27 +0000

Dananananaykroyd are perhaps Britain’s happiest band. With just enough obsessed fans to be able to proclaim themselves as a cult (a cult of happiness and rainbows and hugs, mind you), the Glaswegian Clash favourites tore through well-worn but well-loved debut album ‘Hey Everyone!’ and then some, proving, yet again, that they’re one of the most exciting live acts on planet Earth.

Demurely trotting out to the peculiar twinkle of Home Alone’s main theme tune, soon enough Danana rip into familiar fight-pop anthems ‘Some Dresses’, ‘Watch This’ and ‘Totally Bone’, amongst new material that – ya beauty! – promises another excellent album on the horizon. And kudos to the boys for turning the erstwhile dark and sticky-floored venue into an adult-sized bouncy-castle – yes, the Wall of Hugs is always a huge hit, and many of the fans can recite the familiar chant of “none of that macho moshing bullshit”. Unfortunately though, a couple of crowd members get a little too carried away, and the ordinarily love-sharing affair turns into something that can better be described as a ‘Wall of Flying Limbs’. Maybe, then, Dananananaykroyd’s danger is their ever-increasing level of success – the old fans know the rules, but perhaps the newer ones have yet to abide them.

Nevertheless, they’re still really bloody good. And they possess a stronghold on the audience that is truly awe-inspiring for still such a young act, deserving every ounce of exposure and new fans they get – because there aren’t enough good bands on the UK music scene with this amount of love to share, are there?

Words by Teri Williams

Biffy Clyro Live

ClashMusic — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:27:15 +0000

Picture it. Rain coming down like the end of the world, the wind tearing the leaves from the trees and the faithful followers of Biffy Clyro out in this to see them perform. A suitably apocalyptic setting for the trio to showcase their new album, 'Only Revolutions'.

From the first strains of 'That Golden Rule' to the last chords of 'The Captain', Biffy performed their songs, past and present to a crowd that would not be silenced. Frontman Simon Neil, as always, gave his all and by the third song was drenched from head to toe. Ben Johnston was urrounded by a myriad of drums, and boy did they get a beating!, while his bass playing brother James looked as if he was possessed by the very soul of the music. As is their live reputation, all three did not disappoint. The stage show itself was simple but designed to give maximum impact to the huge guitar riffs and drum beats that just added to the frenzy of the crowd.

Not a single song could silence the crowd but with the opening strains of 'As Dust Dances', the crowd sang every word to joy of Mr Neil – the crowd's enthusiasm undampened by the weather, they returned the energy emanating from the stage in spades. What a night, what a performance and what a band!

Biffy Clyro certainly deserve all the adoration and support they received; they gave 100% on a night that would have put off even the most hardened of fans from venturing out. With that new album just around the corner, the trio are set to reap the rewards of their hard work. Read ClashMusic's review of 'Only Revolutions' HERE and read an interview with the band HERE .

Words by Helen Tweedlie

The Faces Live

ClashMusic — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:15:09 +0000

Last night at The Royal Albert Hall three of the four remaining Faces took to the stage to headline the 'Helping The Heart Of Music' event in aid of PRS' Music Members Benevolent Fund with guest vocalists replacing the absent Rod Stewart.

The PRS helps and supports musicians, songwriters, composers and their dependents and aided former Faces bass player Ronnie Lane's wife after his death from pneumonia in 1997.

Arriving to a rapturous reception, the three Faces, supported by Ronnie's former Rolling Stones colleague Bill Wyman on bass, swaggered and frolicked their way through three of their best known hits, 'Cindy Incidentally', 'Ooh La La' and the ferocious 'Stay With Me' in a way that only the Faces know how.

On hand to help the band through the numbers were three guest vocalists. First up was former Ace and Mike And The Mechanics frontman Paul Carrack, followed by Amen Corner vocalist Andy Fairweather-Low, who also played the mandolin on 'Ooh La La', before Mick Hucknall blasted his way through 'Stay With Me'.

With the crowd firmly whipped into a frenzy and demanding more the band returned with the rest of the night's acts to replay 'Stay With Me' and turn the usually opulent Albert Hall into a pub-like state of which the Faces are more associated.

All we can hope and pray for is a full Faces reunion in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed!!

Crocodiles

ClashMusic — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:05:13 +0000

Crocodiles have whipped up quite a frenzy. Riding high on the waves of the shoegaze revival, their steadfast commitment to punk makes for a more boisterous sound, imbuing them with a sense of raw energy that their contemporaries may lack. Certainly, Crocodiles should not be thrown onto the heap of over-hyped wannabes just yet: their performance at The Victoria on Friday night showed that they have the clout and gusto of a band who are clearly here for the long term.

And with the snake hips of Jarvis and the relentless vigour of Johnny Rotten, front man Brandon Welchez commands some serious authority. Writhing around on stage like a man demonically possessed, he immersed himself fully in the claustrophobic sound of Crocodiles and we were with him every step of the way.

The venue was a beer-soaked sweat-box. Hemmed in like battery chickens fighting for air, it was pretty rammed in there to say the least. But you wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The oppressively deafening feedback and clouds of distorted fuzz felt like an impenetrable barrier around the crowd: a wall of sound that could not be broken. And standing within this blaring noise enclosure made for an intensely visceral, life-affirming experience indeed. Imagine if My Bloody Valentine played in your living room: your ears would probably start bleeding but you would also feel a strange sense of achievement at having been able to withstand such a brutal attack on your senses.

But it wasn’t all deafening moans and ear-splitting white noise, you could still hear the odd melody creeping through the hazy fog and materialising nicely. The duo sustained unfaltering showmanship throughout their set, evoking a golden age of punk rock. And although Paul Cook was a no-show, his stage cameo would have been but a luxury adornment to an already electrifying live performance.

Words by April Welsh

Smokey Robinson - BBC Electric Proms, The Roundhouse

Simon Harper — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:15:54 +0000

In the fiftieth year of Motown Records, as the world celebrates a half century of perfect soul music, the BBC invited the label’s former vice-president to come and conclude this year’s Electric Proms.

As climaxes go, they don’t get much bigger than this. Smokey Robinson, to all intents and purposes, WAS Motown Records. Not only was he second in command to the boss man, Berry Gordy, but he was the label’s star songwriter, endowing their roster with hit after hit, all touched with Smokey’s lyrical and melodic magic. And then there was his voice - and what a voice. For his show tonight at the Roundhouse, we were given a faultless demonstration of all his assets; from his own greatest hits, to the classic songs he penned for others, all performed with impeccable vocals, absolutely smooth as silk, that defied completely his sixty-nine years. And that’s not even to mention his dancing!

Backed by his band and the BBC orchestra, Smokey took us back in time, kicking the show off in fine style with the appropriate ‘Going To A Go-Go’, quickly succeeded by ‘I Second That Emotion’ and ‘Ooh Baby Baby’. His rap to the crowd was hugely endearing; recalling the heady days of Motown, triggering spontaneous applause with the mention of his former colleagues - Stevie, Marvin, Diana, etc. - he then led us into a medley of the chart-topping hits he wrote especially for The Temptations. ‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’ segued seamlessly into ‘Get Ready’, which gave way for a hugely stirring ‘My Girl’; its author inciting audience participation, and being thrilled as its results was a joy to see.

Selections from his forthcoming solo album, ‘Time Flies When You’re Having Fun’, because they’re unknown - with the exception of his Norah Jones cover, ‘Don’t Know Why’ – were appreciated warmly, but, as lovely as they were, merely served to delay the much awaited classics. When ‘Tears Of A Clown’ is unleashed, it causes ripples of ecstasy throughout the Roundhouse. The unforgettable climax of the evening was, inevitably, ‘Tracks Of My Tears’, slowed down to a hymnal pace, letting its poignancy shine as each chorus was echoed tenderly around the venue.

For a man with so many classic songs under his belt, and for a man often (rightly) called a genius, Smokey Robinson proved tonight that, much more than anything else, he has the ability to touch people’s hearts and, for tonight’s ninety wonderful minutes, he really had a hold on us.

Set List:
‘Going To A Go-Go’
‘I Second That Emotion’
‘Ooh Baby Baby’
The Temptations medley (‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’ / ‘Get Ready’ / ‘My Girl’) ‘You’re The One For Me’
‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’
‘Don’t Know Why’
‘Fly Me To The Moon’
‘Tears Of A Clown’
‘Being With You’
‘Girlfriend’
‘Time Flies When You’re Having Fun’
‘Tracks Of My Tears’

CMJ 09 - Day Three

ClashMusic — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:54:14 +0000

I’ve learnt two things this week. 1) I have less stamina than I thought, and 2) the scheduled show-times mean nothing, which throws all plans out the window pretty much from the get-go. Changeover times are ridiculous and if we lived in Elizabethan times, cabbages would be thrown on-stage to a chorus of jeers. I made a vow to see The xx tonight and even though they didn’t take to the stage until 2am, they were so, so worth it. But more about them later, as I’d like to end on a positive note.

First band of Clash’s unseasonably warm evening were Suckers. The New York hype machine is in overdrive about these Brooklynites and… well… I’m not entirely sure why. Suckers don’t suck by any means, but they did little more than inspire the light foot-tap seen in offices of A&R men the world over, who have absolutely no intention of signing whatever they’re politely feigning interest in.

What I’ve deduced from post-Suckers discussions on the roof of The Delancey is that Americans love them, but Brits really don’t get it. Suckers’ sounds are certainly interesting and the four-piece keep up with the current trend of banging extra percussion instruments just for the hell of it, but the songs don’t seem to go anywhere good. Anywhere at all, actually. Plus the over-affected singer looks and (over) performs like a slightly unhinged, drunk Australian. An acquired taste which I, along with my fellow limeys, have no intention of acquiring.

And now for the good stuff. Boy, was I ready to give my best ‘what’s all the bleedin’ fuss about?’ sneer tonight. I’d limbered up my shoulders for a shrug of epic proportions, practiced rolling my eyes in the mirror and drafted hate mail to the lead singer for keeping me up way past my bedtime. But, blimey… The xx had me from the very first track and by the end of ‘Crystalised’, I was planning an ‘X’ tattoo in the middle of my forehead. The lo-fi beats and intense, sultry vocals drip off the stage like dry ice, travel across the floor and swirl at your feet, before making their way to the pit of your stomach where they reverberate and smoulder. It’s sex music, in a really good way.

Other Day Two highlights I missed, because I only have one pair of ears:

Hockey
Bobby Brown (I know! If I hear he played the hits, I will be devastated)
Your Nature
Goldhawks
Das Racist

Words and Photos by Rachael Wright

CMJ 09 - Day Two

ClashMusic — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:45:50 +0000

The general feeling among the badge-holding brigade here in New York is that CMJ 09’s line-up is somewhat lacklustre.

There does indeed seem to be a distinct lack of killer buzz-names and the must-sees of previous years have been replaced by mere should-sees.

The band with the most hype, to the point of ‘ok, enough already’, are London’s The XX, who have no less than four shows this week. Their first was at The Mercury Lounge and The XX definitely win the Longest Queue Of The Week So Far Award. Unfortunately, all I got to see of their set was the deeply unpleasant woman on the door – she’s a Mercury Lounge institution – because I was doing something very important (eating burritos) and got there five minutes later than planned. Our photographer was inside a bit earlier though, so even though my words lack all the vital information you’d expect from a review, you can at least see from the photos if they wore nice outfits or not.

As one hack told me over brunch at Heath Ledger’s restaurant today, ‘If you haven’t seen The XX at CMJ this year, you haven’t been to CMJ this year.’ Hmmm… my exhaustion begs to differ. But with that in mind, I fully intend to rectify the situation at The Delancey tomorrow night and will report back as to whether the hype is founded, or just another ‘sensation’ who fade as quickly as they appeared.

Following The XX, and inheriting some of their sweaty audience, were Mumford & Sons, who, like Fanfarlo yesterday, have been compared to Arcade Fire and Beirut. Basically, if you have a multi-instrumental, folkesque band with more members than there is stage, you’ll be compared to Arcade Fire and Beirut. In fact, in the interests of saving journalists valuable brain power, I’m going to take up the ukelele and start a band called A Bit Like Arcade Fire And Beirut – who’s with me?

But back to Mumford & Sons (who sound nothing like Arcade Fire or Beirut, if you ask me), who I’ve been non-committal in making up my mind about. Until now. Marcus Mumford, aka Guy Garvey re-imagined in gypsy chic from times of yore, leads a merry hoe-down of bluegrass twang with a quintessentially English folk edge. Though they played with gusto and boundless energy, the set became a wee bit samey as time wore on, and a more upbeat track would have made for a better finale.

Next up was Bear Hands – one of my favourite New York bands (along with The Drums). Their set was more muted than usual, but it’s a good sign that they were still bloody good even though they weren’t turning it up to 11. I swear ‘What A Drag’ gets better with each listen. And I do listen. Daily.

Tomorrow, my mission is to avoid seeing anyone who draws lazy and mostly inaccurate comparisons to Arcade Fire and Beirut.

Other Day Two highlights I wish I’d been able to get to because everyone is raving about them:

Golden Silvers
Suckers
Screaming Females
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Team Robespierre
The Depreciation Guild

Words by Rachael Wright
Photos by Rachael Wright and Betsy Blundell

CMJ 09 - Day One

ClashMusic — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:06:43 +0000

When is cloning going to be available to the masses? If I’m going to make it to all the shows on my CMJ wish-list this week, I’m going to need at least four of me.

In the interests of self-preservation and the willingness not to peak too soon, I hit up one showcase last night and stayed East of the East River in Brooklyn’s fashionable Brooklyn. The Music Hall Of Williamsburg played host to local buzz band The Antlers and Euro-Brit five-piece (six-piece if you count Marcus Mumford & Sons’ cameo at the beginning of the set), Fanfarlo, who I’m now calling 'The Phenomenal Fanfarlo'. Because they are.

First up – The Antlers. The Brooklyn trio had their backyard venue packed out as they’re one of the New York bands du jour playing CMJ 09. Going against the current trend for jangly, upbeat indie, The Antlers are more darkly earnest guitar-rock, fronted by an ostensibly mild-mannered Peter Silberman and his sensible haircut. My official verdict? Not feeling it. Particularly the interminable bombastic outros. But one woman’s trash is another’s treasure, and tastemakers are tipping them left, right, top and bottom.

Fanfarlo first came to my attention just over a year ago, when the effing marvellous ‘Harold T. Wilkins’ floated into my ears. In fact, I wrote the following in the October issue of your favourite magazine about that very track: ‘A noise so glorious that if you put it in your mouth, it would explode into a million flavours and make you smile for at least 3 hours and 27 minutes.’ I’d like to make a retraction on that statement, as I’m still smiling 15 hours later.

Their second CMJ show of the day was joyously wonderful in every way. I’m going to throw The Reindeer Section into the ring of comparisons Fanfarlo have been attracting recently, which include Beirut and Arcade Fire. And I’m going to go out on a controversial limb and suggest they may even be better than Arcade Fire…
Their magnificent arsenal of instruments must be a nightmare to get through customs though, particularly the saw. Yes! A SAW! Amazing.

Other top picks from CMJ’s opening day, courtesy of my spies:
Best Coast
Male Bonding
Surf City
Love Language
Cruel Black Dove
Atlas Sound
Die! Die! Die!

Words and Photos by Rachael Wright

View the accompanying gallery HERE.

Iceland Airwaves 2009

ClashMusic — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:15:36 +0000

It’s the land of ice, fire and one of the most effortlessly hip festivals in the world but, while ‘Iceland Airwaves’ is not necessarily the coldest anymore thanks to global warming, it’s up there with the coolest; inexplicably it remains a small and perfectly formed music industry secret.

Initial concerns over the future of Airwaves proved to be unfounded. Phew! With undoubtedly furious activity backstage, this highlight of the Icelandic music scene emerged relatively unscathed from its country’s economic meltdown, which made international headlines the week before last year's festival. Revellers stumbled through Airwaves 2008 in a state of numbness and shock as the reality sank in. But Icelanders are nothing if not resilient in the face of adversity. And one year on, the anger may not feel as visceral to the festival tourists, but there is a bar with pictures of Iceland’s most wanted bankers in the men's urinals for target practice. Well they did piss their country’s finances away….

For Airwaves 2009, once again musicians, fans and the immaculately dressed beautiful people rose to the occasion. There were as many international bands as usual (everything at the Clash night at Nasa) – and the home grown talent was positively bursting at the seams. This exceptionally patriotic country has a love of music at its very core. Everyone seems to be in a band (or three) or with the band; Par for the course when the population of your entire country is 320,000 (half the size of Nottingham). And now thanks to the financial freefall, it’s actually affordable to buy a drink. So let’s toast a shot of apple schnapps to the 10th year of the shebang. And what a triumph it was. Tickets sold out weeks before the event and it seems there’s nothing like a country in crisis to make the kids party like its 1999. Jumping spontaneously from venue to venue as the day became night and the night became day, the Icelandic kids run riot and chaos rules.

Explore in and around the main drag downtown (Laugavegur) and you’ll find most of the shops, cafés or art galleries double up as a performance space. There are happenings ago-go in every nook and cranny and it’s entirely possible to stumble across low key sets by artists due play a bigger gig later on. Some you may have heard of, but mostly it’s like a box of chocolates Forrest. You never know what you’re going to get.

My voyage of unexpected discoveries began on a sofa at Nordic House, the venue for a special program of intimate acoustic performances followed by a Q&A. The opportunity to get under the skin of these talented musos was not lost on some. Following an astonishing set from the Danish four piece Choir of Young Believers – stripped back orchestral pop with soaring vocals from a heavily bearded lead singer - one woman wanted to know what the band ate for breakfast. And no she wasn’t testing their sounds levels on the mic. For the record the bassist is a muesli kind of guy while the others like fruit, or was it toast?

I have no idea what Casiokids sing about because they sing in Norwegian. Nor do I care after witnessing their explosive electro pop rip up the Art Museum. The band comes from what’s turning out to be a hotbed of talent, Bergen. Earlier that day, they’d given little away of what was to come in an acoustic set. Who knew (not to be confused with Who Knew? also in this years line up) these seemingly introverted nerdy keyboard merchants would transform into serious contenders for best live act of the festival. Not me. The clincher may’ve been the stage diving, crowd surfing, monkey suit wearing band member, who literally went ape.

One of their main rivals for stage supremacy was Metronomy. Brit Joseph Mount and his outfit brought the house down with their quirky electronic dance pop and their light show. They have the honour of being the only foreign band that has been asked to play Airwaves twice. After this performance, next year could be the hat-trick.

The Clash night at Nasa was mental even by Icelandic standards. By the time Jessica 6 came on and revealed herself to be a man in drag, it was a question of survival of the fittest. While singer Nomi Ruiz prowled the stage with her dark club grooves, the 100% proof Viking teenagers took going mental to a whole new level. Next on were the 'Ones to Watch', Retro Stefson; All under 19 and there are loads of them. Last count 7. The day before, they’d played a set at a clothes shop and made every one sit down and do weird dance moves. The clearly like a bit of audience participation and at their big gig, there seemed even more of them jumping around to their calypso infused melodic indie pop rock. And I swear I heard a line from ‘Pass the Duchy’ somewhere in there.

With queues of teenagers round the building, the club was stuffed to full capacity by the time local heroes FM Belfast took the stage and blew the roof off with their catchy electro indie pop featuring 'Underwear' – an aerobic session of a sing a long featuring the lyric “running down the street in my underwear”.

The eagerly anticipated – some might say overhyped? – The Drums from Florida gave an energetic performance, especially the dude with the tambourine (he must have had three shredded wheat for breakfast). While not massively original, their sound was reminiscent of The Cure (the early poppy years) crossed with in places a bit of Martin Fry.

Outside the confines of this frozen landscape, the names of the Icelandic musical offerings sound, well a bit random. Like a list of phrases a la Bowie channelling William Burroughs. Where else are you going to get to hear Sudden Weather Change (guitar ninjas); Sing For me Sandra (no frills pop rock); Me, the Slumbering Napoleon (post punk) , Hello Elephant (goth folk), Don’t Dance Darling and the fast and furious Bummer (who played at a club called Sódóma. I kid you not) to name but a few. And let’s not forget Smoking with Mittens, Nana Wants to Know and Hot Pocket... Okay those last three were may not be strictly true but you get the picture.

Despite the culture, the food (still dreaming about that lobster soup) and the eccentricities (well everyone’s a little bit bonkers and not in a Dizzee way), this festival's main USP has to be the geothermal spas. It’s the law that everyone who goes to Reykjavik must visit the Blue Lagoon. And so with ones civic duty in mind, even the most sleep deprived drag their weary bones to the hangover party. It’s really a pool party in a lava field where the steam from the hot milky white water to create nature’s very own smoke machine. Excited swimsuit clad revellers clutching beers, doing the conga and basically accessing their inner child in a grown up's playground. Even the techno sounded good and when 'Love is in the Air' came on, the euphoria was palpable. This is what heaven must be like for clubbers. If God was a Dj, this is where he’d spin his discs.

Words by Sharuna Sagar

Vampire Weekend Live

ClashMusic — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:12:27 +0000

Clash regressed back to its student years last night, heading down to King's College Union, London, last night to see Vampire Weekend's exclusive second album preview gig.

The Brooklyn quartet, whom Clash had spent the best part of the day with, showing them round the fine sights of Shepherds Bush, were in town to reveal what the follow up to their stunning eponymous debut sounds like.

'Contra' is released on January 11th. Clash had an exclusive listen to the album earlier this week in preparation of Thursday's Vampire Day, and were suitably impressed by the evolution of the band's relentless rhythms, layered vocals and seasoned hooks. It's a powerful, storming and hugely enjoyable long-player - destined to excel the group on from their debut and into the upper echelons of discerning music makers.

On stage in the unbearably hot union, the Vampires - decked out in their trademark preppy threads - bolted through a mix of songs new and old, the hungry crowd lapping them all up equally.

'White Sky', premiered at UK gigs last year, kicked things off, and was followed by 'Holiday', earmarked as a forthcoming single from 'Contra'.

The band clearly were revelling in the venue's intimate surroundings, leading the crowd through eager sing-alongs on the likes of 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', and lead singer Ezra Koenig getting carried away and snapping a guitar string before 'A Punk'.

But it was the new songs that thrilled most - the receptive audience listened intently to the incredible booming 'Cousins', no doubt pining for its eventual release. And just wait until you see the video - Clash was treated to the Hammer and Tongs directed short, and it's a perfect visual accompaniment to the Vampires: clever, fun and full of intricate bits of brilliance.

The long-awaited 'Oxford Comma' concluded the first set, but the band returned with debut opener 'Mansard Roof' then finally got to recreate the recently released download giveaway 'Horchata', as keyboardist Rostam sat down with a curiously small organ on his lap, and Ezra complained about losing his voice but wanting to do this new fan favourite justice. Needless to say he did.

In Vampire Weekend tradition, the advisory and frenetic 'Walcott' wrapped up the evening. Things were sweaty, ears were ringing, but if this is what we can expect come January, then that's one more thing to look forward to in the New Year.

Stay tuned to ClashMusic.com to see the exclusive Vampire Weekend videos, galleries and interviews made this week...

Vampire Weekend played:

'White Sky'
'Holiday'
'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'
'I Stand Corrected'
'M79'
'Cousins'
'One (Blake's Got A New Face)'
'A-Punk'
'Run'
'Campus'
'Oxford Comma'
'Mansard Roof'
'Horchata'
'Walcott'

Words by Simon Harper

Deadmau5 Live

Nick Annan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:14:24 +0000

Who ever said IT wasn’t cool? Tonight, technical whizz kid Joel Zimmerman (a.k.a. Deadmau5) proves that spending time with computer chips can be an awful lot of fun.

Zimmerman has been breathing electronics since the age of 15 when he started experimenting with old computer chips, enabling him to produce some pretty radical sounds out of them. Know in the industry as chip tunes, Zimmerman’s compositions started to attract the attention of some big players in the nu metal scene. He later collaborated with Mötley Crüe drummer, Tommy Lee. Now a little older, our technological phenomenon of the 00’s is able to boast an impressive CV of which the likes of computer Baron B. Gates would be fully dazzled.

The discerning music scholar would be forgiven to think that this evenings performance would be an indulgence of pure Nintendo-esqe beats. However, Super Mario doesn’t make an appearance, and instead the packed Roundhouse is treated to an extreme, out of this world experience, full of soundscapes you didn’t think were humanly achievable.

Donning an oversized mouse head complete with stupendous ears, Zimmerman is able to create an exhilarating sense of theatre around his performance. Explosions of glitter and enormous bursts of smoke engulf the venue, and a backdrop of cascading light fascinates all present, spurring bodies to move frantically to the innovative processions of beats.

Let's be clear, Deadmau5 is NOT a DJ. He is a certain carpenter of sounds, a performer, constructing and puppeteering music to the extreme. Qualities can be taken from dance icons such as Armin Van Buuren and fused with more modernistic performers such as MSTRKRFT, but Deamau5 cannot be generically placed. His seemless mixes (using mainly self constructed hardware/software), romantic melodies and ethereal, pulsating beats conjure up an unforgettable experience tonight.

The night is brought to an uplifting close by current single 'Ghosts 'n’ Stuff’. Featuring vocals from Rob Swire of Pendulum, the track truly compels the whole room. Arms fly and eyes widen in awe of the emitting notes, and the surrounding space is submerged in pure, rapturous, ecstasy.

Words by Frazer Lawton

Johnny Foreigner Live

ClashMusic — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:30:55 +0000

One thing you can guarantee with Johnny Foreigner is that they are going to bring the noise, and they did so again at Manchester’s Deaf Institute. Touring in support of both their new, free remix EP and their forthcoming second album, 'Grace And The Bigger Picture', the band seem to be enjoying playing the bigger stages that their increased stature that their growing profile accommodates, and they took to the stage with some vigour, creating the chaotic, joyous sound that they’ve come to call home.

Like many before them, the band are currently stuck in a form of limbo, as lead singer Alexei admits on stage. "We’re at the stage where we’re bored of playing stuff from our first album, but nobody knows the stuff from our second". Still, they power through all the trademark songs that have brought the fans out in force such as 'Eyes Wide Terrified' and 'Champagne Girls I Have Known'. It was probably most heartening that the newer material didn’t seem at all out of place in a set that had a heavy leaning towards older songs.

Gaining more fans has it’s drawbacks as well, though – despite the best efforts of the band and their record label, Johnny Foreigner’s second album has begun to leak out on the internet, and the band’s twitter infuriated twitter status were backed up on stage, with one song being introduced as "You leaked our album on rapidshare two weeks early, you cunt". Harsh words, but it’s with this kind of passion with which they’ve forged their career. With all their whooping guitars and beautifully executed, Pixies-esque two part harmonies between Alexei and bassist Kelly, they’re still an absolute triumph to watch on stage. Later in the year they’ll be touring with the wonderful Internet Forever – you’d be a fool to miss out.

Words by Matthew Britton
Photos by Miriam Baynes

The Longcut - Live

ClashMusic — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:12:06 +0000

Charity is supposed to begin at home. As The Longcut kick off their UK tour in their hometown, only 150 or so canny folk can drag themselves out on a chilly Monday night. The fact that only a few yards away a huge, snaking queue of giddy teenagers await entry to an Enter Shikari gig doesn't help to dispel the notion that Manchester's musical nous is misfiring.

But The Longcut are troopers, and throw themselves into opening number 'Out At The Roots'. It's a standout track from their excellent new album 'Open Hearts' but seems strangely muted tonight. The recorded version is head-shrinkingly visceral - screaming guitars creating white heat and white light. But tonight's rendition seems somewhat caged, and less angry.

Live, The Longcut are a fascinating proposition; they have periods of devastating brilliance, and moments in which they seem to be missing a vital factor. This may be due to their set up; lead singer Stuart Ogilvie also plays drums, but doesn't do both at the same time. He's either up front and leaving drumming duties to a machine, or back behind the kit and not singing. The effect is slightly disjointed, and rarely allows the set-list to develop a head of steam. And that's a shame, because Lee Gale is a brilliant guitarist and Jon Fearon's meaty bass defiantly underpins their stark, metallic dance sound.

But when they're good, it's quite a spectacle. New track 'Evil Dance' surges and pulses, like a nasty electro-punk monster - think Front 242 with a sore head. Old tracks like 'Transition' and a rare airing of 'Idiot Check' remind you of the urgent force this trio could, and should, be.

New single 'Repeated' is a brooding love song, albeit delivered amid Gale's torrential riffs and eyefuls of strobe lights. After a 90-minute set, they encore with a chilled out (by The Longcut standards) 'The Last Ones Here' before taking their bow. It's a fitting finale for a band that are difficult to categorise, and despite critical acclaim, seem not to tick any of the boxes for this year's fads and fashions. Their only crime is a desire to develop dark sonic Northern landscapes - which Mancunians, in the past, have openly taken to their hearts. The Longcut deserve our love and attention - if we lose them it's a long walk to the back of that Enter Shikari line.

Words by John Freeman