The Soft Pack are certainly not something normally I’d rave about. Coming from a teenage Doom metal head’s point of view they are positively pure filth. I’m not longer that teenager though, I must admit this. I like garage punk and I love The Soft Pack. These guys were cheated tonight by a crowd of mancunian-a-like brit bopping Q readers. Talked over and ignored the American’s put on a show that had me tapping my foot through the swagger and knee bending.
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Someone buy Karl Middleton some cling film we want Earthtone9 back. Copro Records’s Earthtone9 produced Alt Metal in an era when Nu-Metal was just being born. These boys hailing from Nottingham stood out as a band that took influence from 1990s deities such as Tool and Deftones and mixed them with the then thriving UK Hardcore scene. Vocalist Karl Middleton became famous for his live performances sporting only as pair of pants made cling film. If that wasn’t enough for you Earthtone9 can take some of the credit for Welsh super stars Lost Prophets’s huge success for dragging them around the UK as a support act. Please come back guys I have an undying desire to see Karl’s ‘Special Pants’….
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with The XX ever since they came on the scene. I’ve loved the album and I’ve hated it and now I love it all over again. This remix lives up to everything I’ve heard by the masterful Matthew Dear ( If you don’t know him check out ‘Deserter‘ ). He’s like the stuffing to The XX’s turkey breathing life and beefing up their minimal sound.
She Keeps Bees
Wandering the dark backstreets of Camden is not something I’d normally recommend to anyone but it is the only way you’ll find tonight’s venue. The Black Heart has proved itself to be a hidden gem of Camden Town by simply walking around the corner to find a giant black heart swinging from the wall. It’s the black cherry on the cake that stripped down ranchy blues rock duo She Keeps Bees are joining us tonight courtesy of The Allotment.
The Allotment are treating us to a three-strong line-up of female fronted rock bands this evening. Both Lulu & The Lampshades and surprise guests Peggy Sue & The Pirates smash out sterling sets; filling the room with personality and showing off quirks such as playing a typewriter with drumsticks which is only emphasized by the excellent village fete atmosphere provided by the organizers.
She Keeps Bees are nothing short of their reputation as thumping southern styled blues when they get going with their first song ‘Release’ from one of my album highlights of last year, Nests. There is something about She Keeps Bees which keeps at least one foot tapping . Jessica’s vocals tonight add to Andy’s thump and make them something slow enough to be sultry and gritty enough to be ranchy. The anthemic ‘Gimme’ engulfs this intimate venue with their raw garage groove and heads are nodding involuntarily. They show a slightly more country side to the pair with ‘Wear Red’ a loosely strung song with a belting vocal hook that still has it’s foot firming in the proverbial blues door.
I can’t help feeling tonight She Keeps Bees are better suited to a smoky New Orleans dive or the corner of a steamy New York street more than this twee The Allotment show but they pull it off well, even if it’s just by Jessica’s charm between songs. They prove that there is room for more than one boy/girl outfit in the blues rock world by giving a outstanding show which I would be happy to relive weekly.
I’m quite well known for being musically fickle. I prefer to think of myself as a musician on tour with groupies ( thats the music ) throwing themselves at me, how could I say no? In response to my musical slut-bag-ness I’ve decided it’s time I started doing a sporadic “band of the day” section here. Today I’m shocked and excited at hearing HTRK an Auzzie band from Melborne that sound like The XX covering The Cure’s ” Pornography “. This band is lazy, minimal, dark and insanely addictive.
HTRK launch their new album at Cargo on 21st Jan with support from Factory Floor.
I’ve been looking forward to this show since I was first crowned resident photographer for KOKO. Sunn o))) dispite what people often say about them are one of my favourite acts. The drone metal kings. They have evolved so much since I first heard them. They have gone from strength to strength. I first heard their epic sound from 00 Void, I remember being in awe at their cover of The Melvin’s Hung Bunny. Tonight however is the second time I have seen Sunn o))) and hopefully not the last. The show itself was like a religious experience, like watching the occult scene from Dragnet while getting a full body internal/external massage. The bass thundered, Atilla’s vocals haunted and the guitar shattered me to my core. Without a doubt one of my gigs of the year….
Sunn o)))
Now I’ve never been a fan of Monster Magnet. It’s nothing personal at all they just always fell to far into the rock and roll side of stoner rock, I myself resided more in the doom metal haven. I can’t help but their love classics like “Space lord” or “Bummer” but as a whole I can’t say they have spiked my punch. Tonight Monster Magnet may have changed my mind. Dave Wyndorf is a pleasure to photograph and a excellent front man.
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Dimbleby & Capper
Don’t be fooled by the ampersand. Dimbleby & Capper are just one. The 22 year old Laura Bettinson who miraculously remains unsigned produces witty, refreshing and sultry dark electronic pop. Dimbleby & Capper certainly has a lot in common with artists like Goldfrapp and The Knife but adds a more playful reality to the electro-pop tunes. Tipped by Radio1’s Huw Stephens and featured on the ‘BBC Introducing’ stage backed by an entourage of masked musicians at this years Glastonbury. Laura will no doubt be riding the crest of 2010’s torrent of Microkorg toting electro-pop artists. To hear Dimbleby & Capper is to understand why. One visit to her Myspace page will have you humming to yourself for weeks.
Dimbleby & Capper will be launching her new EP at The Social in London on the 12th January.
John Peel brought me up in the latter years of my musical independance. Laying in the dark listening to him harp on about Fierce Panda records with my pair of headphones hoping my parents wouldn’t hear. John Peel described The Fall “always different, always the same.”. So when John Peel’s favourite band played the my second home The KOKO, I had to be there.
Mark E Smith
I’m sure you can imagine I see quite a few gigs in a week. Sometimes I get to up to four in one week. It’s rare that I get to relive one of my most favoured childhood experiences. It might even be one of my favourite gigs ever. Alec Empire at Reading festival touring with his then new album Intelligence and Sacrifice. Recommended by a pilled up pink haired cyberpunk I went along and Alec destroyed my ears. I’ve not looked back since. Alec is no different now than he was then. He is loud, he is charismatic and he IS punk. Joined by standard teenage crush Nic Endo I’m in awe once again. I’m reminded why I do what I do. This is most definitely one of the best shows of my year if only for the fact that I finished with my evening shouting “Revolution Action” repeatedly with my fist in the air.
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