Sound InPhotos: Our Final Hour // Unicorn Camden

Hardcore outfit played a special show at Camden's Unicorn just before heading out to Europe on a tour on Sunday. Braden had his camera with him to take photos.

Sound InPhotos: We Are Scientists // Camden Barfly

Winding up for their upcoming TV En Francais record, We Are Scientists made a fleeting visit to the UK and played a show at the Camden Barfly. Mixing in their singles collection with a hefty chunk of their new tracks made for a great set; definitely worth keeping an eye out for the new record when it comes out in March.
Braden was on hand to take photos; here's a few of them...

Sound InPhotos: Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip // KOKO

Two sold out nights at Camden's iconic KOKO meant real business for Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip so with guest appearances from support act Itch and the one and only Billy Bragg, these nights were really spectacular.

Braden was on hand with his camera to take pictures of the night.

 

 

Phoenix // Brixton Academy

Post-2000 indie bands, and I count most of my musical existence from that point onward, have bequeathed us a certain disdain for anything too obvious, songwriters intellectualize everything and then release a cryptic love song. Phoenix, on the other hand, are in the business of delivering sensations that, more often that not, get you heart racing like it does in the first days of flirting with a work colleague. You want to wear something nice for a change, girls get their hair done and before you know it, you're daydreaming about running in the rain in Paris while the love of your life chases you into a steamy wine bar. And it doesn't seem at all odd that you would even find yourself wishing for such a pathetic thing.

They didn't play Fences - that alone ought to be the only sentence in this review, as a sort of punishment, and if it weren't for everything else they played - masterfully - it would be. Fences is a great tune. But let's say it's a forgivable lapse when the rest of the performance is punctuated by covers of Playground Love with Nicolas Godin himself on stage and A Cappella versions of Sick for the Big Sun.

I think I forgive them.

Phoenix aren't exactly your everyday grandiose stadium band but at the Brixton Academy on Wednesday they delivered and incredible show: entertaining, clever and leaving very little to chance, Thomas Mars and team sang about love as if they were going through the day's to-do list - "I'll marry you on Tuesday", he goes, like it's nothing. Disarming, that's the word.

Entertainment kicks off the night, it's the first single from their new album Bankrupt!, a synth-heavy concoction, fit for a Californian hotel lounge at times; others for an 80's hen party. The new work blends very trendy techniques such as loud keyboard, half-tempo double clapping and Casablancas-like distortion with tunes hovering R&B and House. After listening to this album, it won't come as a surprise to you that Daft Punk are old friends of the band and Casablancas himself was a guest singer and producer in the latter highly praised Random Access Memories. It's all in the annoyingly talented family.

Crafted to a filigree of detail in studio, Phoenix's music loses some of its layers on stage and that's one of the great joys of watching densely produced bands, the cathartic release they get from playing their songs in a less analytic environment washes over everyone.

The room is warming up and we're all prime to jump around. Lasso and Liztomania, two heavy-weight crowd pleasers from their nearly perfect 2009's "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" follow suit. One couldn't help but admiring the courage - what would they grab the audience with from this point on?

Well.

Oh well well well well well well until you know me well", starts "Girlfriend", another chunk of gooey and ironic love from "Amadeus" as the album is tenderly referred to. Mars's echoey vocals are like home-made jam, you just know you're safe now. 

"Run Run Run" is next, what a tune straight from their 2004 "Alphabetical". The opening guitar is very similar to the cadence of a mellow-er Radiohead and it falls like sugar cubes each time Mars goes "fallin', fallin', fallin'"

By the way people are dancing, it's like we've all just been teleported to the sleek lounge of a Monaco casino in the 80s. With what looks like synthetic whistles, Trying to be Cool comes on - "I'm just trying to be cool. And it's all because of you" is a good a pick-up line for a room full of loved-up sarcastic fans as you'll ever gonna get.

The first M83 borrowed tunes of Chloroform kick in and again we're all letting our arms swing there along our torso while we close our eyes and actually nothing else is of much importance.

"Thank you very much Brixton."

Yeah, right.

They come back to gothic organs. The whole floor trembles and then Mars slips into his negligé and sings Sick for the Big Sun with no safety net, barely any guitar and even the room is silence like we're at the Opera or a classic concert venue. A room full of rock fans listening to a lead singer and not attempting to sing as well? Blimey.

Rome finishes it and I leave the room with the sensation of having been showed around the world through the blurred windows of an old friend's car. A friend I was always secretively more than friends with.

Ana França

Sound InPhotos: Swiss Lips @ Elekrtrowerkz Islington

One of our favourite new acts, Swiss Lips are winding up for their debut album. We can reveal that they'll be one of our acts for 2014 and we'll be posting an interview with them next month, but in the mean time; we saw them kick up a sweat storm in north London the other day and it was pretty special.

Fresh off touring with Bastille,  the boys have certainly picked up some tricks and the atmosphere was electric. Singles U Got The Power and DANZ went down a treat, but the likes of Books and a few tracks that were debuted on the night all sound like they're going to make the album one of the most entertaining ones you'll hear in the Spring.
Without further ado, here's Braden's photos from the night.



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Sound InPhotos: Nordic Giants - Brighton Concorde2

We're not sure if you've noticed, but we're fans of Brighton based band Nordic Giants. So much so that we left the urban sprawl behind for an afternoon by the seaside. The afternoon was cold, but we found refuge in the Pav Tav; oh the Pav Tav. When the evening came along, we thought we had prepared ourselves for Nordic Giants. We were wrong.
New light shows, new films and animations, a 12 piece orchestra and the loudest sound system we've heard in recent memory. Yes then, Nordic Giants were prepared for this huge homecoming show; we were merely willing spectators brought along for the ride.
In between being blown away by the audio visual monster that is the new 'Giants show, Braden managed to get some photos. They're below, along with their newest material. Enjoy.



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No Age @ Jericho Tavern, Oxford

In keeping with the tradition of punk, experimental L.A. noise rock duo NO AGE are a band that that work best in small, sweaty places. So when I heard they were playing in a tiny room above a pub round the corner, I knew I had to see them. The fact that the pokey room was packed is testament to D.I.Y. band conduct, having cultivated an audience that seeks them out, wherever they might be and however little advertisement they put out. ( Oddly, there was no notice outside the pub whatsoever.) This mutual relationship is something that the band are more than aware of. ‘This is our first time playing to you in Oxford’ said drummer Dean Spunt, adding jokily, ‘and it’s also the first time you’ve seen us playing in Oxford.’

In true punk tradition, this event was people and place coming together seamlessly. Old setlists with the forgotten songs of anonymous bands were plastered on the walls. The people drinking in the pub downstairs had no idea what the almighty noise from above them was. And that’s just what it was. Noise at its most essential, vital, and pounding. Blocks of noise, vibration. This was music that you felt, made with a deliberation and feeling that overwhelmed sense. For those unacquainted with their music, the fundamental thing to understand is their dedication to dynamics. The attention they pay to ‘loud’ is turned equally to quiet and soft, often turning the tail ends of songs and the gaps in between songs into quasi-ambient soundscapes. Dean Spunt hacks at his drums, almost willing them to split and create new sounds. Randy Randall plays the guitar, but the sound that comes out of the guitar isn’t a tone. It isn’t melodic. It is purely rhythmic, instinctual. His vast sprawl of pedals are constantly nudged and twisted, morphing the sounds mid song, between songs, and after songs. In their musical utopia, virtuosity loses all importance.

All that mattered in that space was a transferral of air, a joined movement. Words were sung, but were smothered, defying intelligibility. Looking at its component parts, this music is cold, repetitive, jarring and incongruous. But, altogether, the friction between these elements creates a genuine warmth, and demanded the entire attention of the audience, if it needed to be demanded in the first place. Set standouts included a powerful rendition of their most visceral, catchy song ‘Fever Dreaming’ and cuts off their new album, An Object, but it didn’t really matter what songs they played at this point. They could’ve improvised the whole set and wouldn’t have lost any momentum. If you get the chance, we urge you to see them, but be prepared for A LOT of noise.

Josh Barfoot

Sound InPhotos: Yearbook, I Saved Latin and Luke Godwin @ CATCH

The mighty Yearbook took on Shoreditch's CATCH bar in north east London last week with support from I Saved Latin and Luke Gowdin. Promoting their new single I Could Be Anyone (below), they were fresb, tight and loud in true rock'n'roll style. Having supported a host of incredible acts over the last year including Scottish rockers The Xcerts, Yearbook are finally ready to step into the limelight themselves and that time can't come soon enough.
Here's the photoset, taken by Braden

Sound InPhotos: The Front Bottoms @ Dingwalls

Incase you haven't already heard, allow us to update you. The Front Bottoms are one of the most incredible bands still channelling punk rock and roll through semi acoustic songs about heartbreak and home, on the planet.

So when they decided to tour the UK and play Camden's sweaty Dingwalls venue; the place sold out. They open with a series of singles (both current and forthcoming) from their second record Talon of the Hawk and play through a hugely energetic set to a crowd that more than welcomes them in; even if frontman Brian Sella is wearing a Millwall shirt (blame his parents, and their parents, apparently.)
Highlights come in the form of TotH opener Au Revoir (Adios), and lead single and set-closer Twin Sized Mattress. Never before outside a rock/hardcore show have we seen such dedication from fans screaming lyrics back at an artist.
Of course the highlights of their debut record, Maps and Flashlight see the most singalongs with huge amounts of passion. For a group of people who've probably not travelled as much as Sella, nor experienced East Coast America; the amount they relate to his heartache on the topics is astounding.
We sent Braden along to the show with a camera and we suppose we should show you the results?

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This show was as good as any festival set or gig I've been to in 2013 so far, and I go to quite a few.
Braden 

Sound InPhotos: Tall Ships and Tellison @ Camden Barfly

How to create a good show. Take a show that already happened in a bigger venue and sponsor it with beer. Tellison supporting Tall Ships happened last year at Shoreditch's XOYO and from there Tall Ships went on to headline the Scala after the release of their debut record Everything Touching. Becks managed to cram both into the Camden Barfly and what ensued was loud.
Here's the Sound Inphotos set from the night taken by Braden.



Created with flickr slideshow. Braden Fletcher

Sound InPhotos: Summer Camp, PINS and KHUSHI @ The Social

Huw Stephens hosts a monthly night at Oxford Circus' The Social. Situated in the northern outreaches of Soho; the likes of Gaggle, Goldheart Assembly and Chet Faker have all played the Radio One DJ's night in the underground venue of >200.
Announcing the 'Special Guests' as Summer Camp just a few hours before the show guaranteed a show that also featured Bella Union girl-group PINS and opening music from the wonderful KHUSHI; Braden was on hand with a camera to capture the event. Here's the results.




Braden Fletcher

Beacons Festival '13

Imagine a festival with a stellar line-up of bands and DJs, a festival that's also passionate about cinema, art and good food...a festival where not one idiotic cry of “ALAN!” “STEVE?!” is heard all weekend. That festival is Beacons and Beacons is perfect. 

We spend Thursday night dancing to The Cribs and Sweet Female Attitude in The Social tent and watching the harrowing film The Arbor in the cosy Into The Woods tent. The Into The Woods tent was part of The Space Between – the art space at Beacons and was definitely one of my favourite attractions at Beacons. You have to take your shoes off to get in and can lay back and relax on huge beanbags. Perfect for winding down or killing time before bands in the morning! The Space Between also offered Q&As with director Shane Meadows, screen printing, lectures about the brain, flag making, aura reading, giant scrabble and a Beacons Boutique that offered up delicious cake and face painting.

Friday's festivities begin with Big Deal, a denim clad dreamy duo who treat the crowd to laid back, summery shoegazy pop songs that ease everybody into the next 3 days of partying. To counteract the lovely Big Deal we head on over to the excellent You Need to Hear This stage to witness an excellently gloomy set by Esben and the Witch. Rachel Davies leaves everyone captivated with her haunting vocals and impeccable bass playing. They play an intense set that ends with a 10 minute wall of sound that could rival My Bloody Valentine's. We head on over to The Social for a fancy dress dance off  where the prize for the most amazing, mind blowing disco dancing is free Beacons tickets for life!
Friday is also fancy dress day at Beacons and with the theme being “Frontiers of the Future” there are some amazing outfits including a robotic looking lady with three heads and a man covered in silver paint. The atmosphere is excellent and the dance off provides a lot of sassy dancing to Got to be Real by Cheryl Lynn and a lot of laughs.

We're faced with a Bonobo and Fucked Up clash on the Friday night but after sidestepping to half of Bonobo's brilliant set we head on over to Fucked Up as we're more in the mood to mosh about. Frontman Damien Abraham has crushed a tinnie into his head. And he's styling it out and rocking it as if he's attending a wedding and the can is his jaunty little hat. Damien creates an amazing atmosphere and spends the whole set on the barrier hugging the crowd and shouting in their faces. We leave the tent chanting “dying on the inside! dying on the inside” and spend the rest of the festival wishing we could see them headline the You Need to Hear This stage every night.

Saturday brings such delights as Melody's Echo Chamber. Melody's Echo Chamber play a perfectly psychedelic set with amazing visuals. Singer Melody Proche is incredibly sincere and thanks the crowd about 20 times in-between crooning over dreamy pop that's been crafted with a little help from Tame Impala's Kevin Parker to create something beautiful. We end Saturday evening with Gold Panda. The Loud and Quiet stage is packed out and the crowd erupts into madness as soon as “You” begins playing. Dancing our feet off to Gold Panda's amazing set, complete with funky dancing from the man himself, is a brilliant way to end the night.

Sunday afternoon brings Sky Larkin! We expect catchy indie pop from the Leeds natives and catchy indie pop is delivered with old songs still sounding fresh and new songs sounding very promising. Beacons does a brilliant job at showcasing Yorkshire's excellent music scene as the next band we witness are Hookworms. Hookworms play their epic songs, that almost all clock in at over 6 minutes, very, very loudly. Singer MJ's vocals are barely heard above all the scuzzy guitars but he yelps and jumps all over the stage. Hookworms are loud, enthusiastic and put on a damn good show. We're also very excited, giddy even, because Danny Brown is the next act to grace us with his presence and he's the one we've been waiting for all weekend. 

Danny Brown is one of the most exciting and interesting names in hip hop and, accompanied by DJ and producer SKYWLKR, they put on a rowdy show that does not disappoint. When Danny decides to join the crowd for “Monopoly” he gets mobbed by sweaty bodies shouting along to every single word. Danny Brown was the absolute highlight of Beacons. We end Sunday night with Savages and do not regret it at all. Having never heard them before their raucous live show was a surprise and a highlight of the festival. Frontwoman/intimidating force of nature Jehnny Beth prowls around the stage looking like Bowie in his Thin White Duke phase. The intense vocals teamed with the lightning fast drumming creates a mind blowing sound. Savages are scary and sexy and everything I could want from a post-punk band. 

The festival overall had an amazing atmosphere, everyone was friendly, every band that I made an effort to see and every band that I stumbled upon was brilliant in their own way and when it was all over on the Monday morning we definitely all wanted to stay another night in that field in Skipton rather than return home to hot water and a comfy bed. Beacons 2013 did not disappoint and I cant wait to see what it brings next year.

Words by Eden Young and Photos by Sandy Rushton

Sound InPhotos: Japandroids - Dingwalls, Camden

After the huge success of their second full album Celebration Rock last year, Japandroids are on a victory lap. "This will be the last time (except tomorrow) that we play London in a long time" says front-man Brian King after opener Fire's Highway before breaking into debut record track The Boys Are Leaving Town.
Whilst the show is a victory lap, it's not without its difficulties. Sound breaks, guitar straps fall off and strings break all in the cause of Japandroids' almost impossibly loud sound for a two-piece. "We're the most unprofessional professional touring rock and roll band around" is greeted to an array of cheers from a crowd that take half the show to really get going. Tracks from both records get an outing including the rarely played I Quit Girls. It's a treat for the devotees but a bit slow for those who followed the critical acclaim to the Camden venue. For those fans however, The Nights of Wine and Roses features mid-set and The House That Heaven Built proves to be the all-crowd-surfing-all-dancing-all-sweating highlight of the night.

It's a small venue for the Canadian duo, but filling it twice in the hottest weather of London's year proves to create the sweaty atmosphere that the act thrive in, even if technical difficulties do plight them. Still, a Japandroids show is better than most for just these reasons; they know how to put on a show and though they don't keep to the script, they don't really need it.




Words and Photos by Braden Fletcher

Sound InPhotos: Embers - Sebright Arms, London

Last week, Embers finally burst through the buzz and made their debut headline show. It was also their first London show and yet the debutants did not disappoint. Highlights included their unofficial debut single Sins Unknown and their debut-proper Part of the Echoes. The show was loud, powerful and yet had all of the finesse that you've come to expect from the band in their short time in the public eye.
Support came from the wonderful KHUSHI and his band as well as an off form Deafkid.
Keep a watch for KHUSHI, especially if your'e a Villagers fan; his debut single Magpie is out soon. Keep an even bigger watch on Embers, if their name is anything to judge by, they'll be igniting very very loudly.

Braden was on hand at the Sebright Arms to take photos and our new Sound InPhotos gallery is below.

flickrSLiDR.

Braden Fletcher

Sound InPhotos: Lucy Rose @ The Finsbury

Playing a host of new songs alongside tracks from her acclaimed debut record Like I Used To which was featured in our Albums of 2012 List; Lucy Rose and her band's intimate show at The Finsbury Pub in North London was a real treat. Announced a few days before and free for all, the show serviced as a warm up for Glastonbury festival.

New songs that featured included the jumpy 'Sheffield' which has featured in a few recent sets including her sold out night at Shepherd's Bush Empire, 'Köln' which has a powerful bassline and a great bridge to match; and 'Inverness', in which Rose's vocals layer onto a very Maccabees-esque track. Fan favourite 'All I've Got' also featured in the show. The track features on the deluxe
Live Editor Braden was on hand to take photos in a feature that we'll now call Sound InPhotos.

Sound Influx's Birthday Party

In just over a month, we will be two years old as a blog. We've only properly existed for just over a year in our current format and we've only been a dot com for a matter of months but nonetheless, we're going to be the ripe old age of two years old in May.

To celebrate, we'll be putting on our first proper show. We've collaborated in the past and we've put Yukon on the tube but this; this is our first proper show.
On Monday May 13th, we'll be taking over the Tram & Social in Tooting, South London for an evening of live music from some of our favourite up and coming acts and if you follow us on Twitter or Facebook you'll already be aware of who these acts are. Incase you're not part of our social media following however, here are the details.

Headlining will be the brilliant Death at Sea and they'll be supported by Yearbook and Luke Godwin. All three acts are acts we're tipping for the future and as an introduction, why not listen to them all below?

So do we have a poster and tickets? Of course we do! Sam Hopper (who also helps with our sessions) has designed us a SoundInPugs poster and tickets are just £3 from our BigCartel!

YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE

We look forward to seeing you there

Braden - Live Editor

Live: Wet Nuns – Birthdays

“I don’t know why they booked a bunch of heavier bands before us.” Drummer Alexis is miffed. Wet Nuns are in London to promote their new single Broken Teeth and the bands on before them have screamed in deep voices words like “DOOOOOMMM” without even a hint of Dalston’s finest irony. Luckily, things always make sense at a Wet Nuns show.

As the bull-horns are placed on the drum kit, the lights kept to a minimum and arguments with the crowd about previous London shows, converse and the geographical heritage of the two members of the Sheffield band (neither are from Yorkshire) are complete however; that mirage of sanity goes out the window. Surely something can make this evening make sense? I mean, Sound Influx did this evening pay a fiver for a rum and coke in a part of London that five years ago he would have expected to been able to at least buy a double for that.

The music. Thank goodness the headliners play music! The aforementioned new single sounds fresh amongst a series of songs that make the Black Keys look like posers whilst rock and roll screams on in El Camino’s tracks.  Racing through an hour long setlist in order to fit it into a 45minute slot seems to suit the duo, complete with bull horns on Alexis’ drum kit power through tour-track Broken Teeth and sound like a tighter unit than we’ve ever heard them before in the process. Tracks such Heaven’s Below turn frontman Rob from relatively unassuming chap into rock colossus as his command of the guitar and powerful roar takes the relatively small venue by hold and the crowd by storm.

From this point, its rather difficult to tell what happens. The Nuns are so loud and the crowd begin to be so raucous that it’s impossible to take even phone notes from where Sound Influx is stood, right at the front. For this, we apologise. For imparting the knowledge upon you that as far as bands that make you want to rock without sounding dated in the slightest; bands that spend time joking with the crowd before kicking into no-nonsence two-piece heavy-blues; bands that won’t stick out in a tiny Dalston venue nor Reading stage but will stand out anywhere; you want Wet Nuns. 

Braden Fletcher

Deap Vally / Drenge / Death At Sea @ London Dingwalls

As far as hype goes, Deap Vally and tonight’s supports Drenge and Death at Sea have been generating a fair buzz between them. The rock’n’roll girl duo at the top of the billing have caused a frenzy on their recent travels after the likes of debut single Make My Own Money lent them column space that namechecked Jack White; whilst Drenge have been taking it in turns to top the billing on the tour and rocked out with their breed of noise every night.

The evening opens with Death at Sea. The Liverpool band’s debut single Drag features in a set that marks them as a definite group of gentlemen to keep a watch on as the likes of Floating Together sound like summer smashes and Zachary turns it down to the level of a love song. On any other bill, they’d be in danger of stealing the show. Drenge come on next to stop this happening though. Whilst this writer thinks that Drenge lack in substance, what they do to make up for it may well be even better. The levels of energy that the duo give off shine brighter than the lights in Dingwalls and the room fills to hear what seems like the heaviest surf sound you didn’t know you wanted to listen to. If that doesn’t make sense, try watching them live and come back to me. New single Bloodsport is a highlight in a set that powers through technical difficulties.

So its time. You can take your blues comparisons, your Californian rock clichés and timid shouts of “I want to be on you” (you stay classy, London) and throw them in Camden Lock because as Deap Vally come on stage, their smiles mean business. What they deliver in the likes of new single Lies is a raucous noise that can scarcely be believed to be simply one guitar and drums. The sound that Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards create could well be that of a full band; and in many ways it is. As End of the World cuts in, slowly and steadily, the few hundred assembled know what’s about to happen and as the chorus kicks in people start to move. Getting them going has been a bit of an effort considering how loudly they cheered but Deap Vally are persistent and a series of new tracks don’t dampen the spirits of the audio-hungry in the room. Make My Own Money B-side Ain’t Fair features alongside new tracks such as Walk of Shame (of which the title gets a cheer; we all know that feeling) and breaking their curfew, the two-piece come back on stage for an encore of I Put a Spell on You.

The Screaming Jay Hawkins track echoes around the small venue as Lindsey’s powerful vocal chords leave the crowd grasping for more as she teases the front row on what truly is a stunning cover. Ending with one last scream, its over. With shows like this, you have to wonder how long the hype machine can keep Deap Vally before thousands are dancing at these shows.

Braden Fletcher

Foxygen @ Sebright Arms, London

Hoxton’s Sebright Arms is tucked away behind the main road, with an out of use front door and replacement alleyway entrance. Inside, it is filled to the brim with tables occupied by 20-somethings; in turn with either a beard or fringe, eating from an American menu or drinking from the tap. I manoeuvre my way through them, trying not to make it obvious that I have no clue where the show is actually taking place. Eventually I find a door, dressed with a ‘SOLD OUT’ poster. Down infinite flights of brightly lit stairwells is another door, behind which lays an intimate – to say the least – venue. Although in some ways it feels like I’ve theatrically descended down into hell, the room is cosy and, after some time, I have no intention of returning upstairs: the room has warmed to me (and physically warmed me).

Rather fittingly, with the room’s darkness and swirling lightshow, support act Wytches take to the stage. With a sound recalling doom metal, psychedelia and post punk, the band’s rhythm section provides a tight foundation upon which frontman and guitarist Kristian Bell shreds and gymnastically yelps. Their standout song and set closer cleverly plays off the lyric “swing like a pendulum”, gradually slowing down in tempo as its oscillation draws to an end. The performance is deafeningly loud, but a great warm up for what is to come. The spectacle is just beginning.

Before long, Foxygen take the stage. Occasionally with a new band, you get the sense that you’re incredibly lucky to be witnessing their live performance; that this is the start of something good; that before long, this band will be everywhere. Recently signed to Jagjaguwar, the current home of Bon Iver, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Women, and having already gained great acclaim for 2011 EP Take The Kids Off Broadway, Foxygen are such a case. Although baby-faced, the band is unbelievably well informed on the music of the past, taking inspiration from the best moments of the 60s, 70s and 80s: if this band were to ‘wear their influences on their sleeve’, it would be of an unholy length.

Sam France and Jonathan Rado alternate between keyboard and 12-string guitar, as they storm through incredible new single ‘Shuggie’ and Broadway highlight ‘Make It Known’, for which France’s voice switches to a Lou Reed-like baritone. Each song is equally energetic, and between tracks the band engages in conversation with the crowd. “At school, they used to call me the retard: WELL HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW, MOM?” yells France, before informing us that “this song is about having your heartbroken... by a dolphin”. The crowd laugh to the point of tears, but are fully engrossed when it comes down to the music, and although small in numbers, a joyous atmosphere is built. They preview tracks from their upcoming record like ‘Destruction’ and set closer ‘San Francisco’, which features an appearance from a fairly bemused but sporting looking man named Ralph. They finish with France repeatedly hitting himself comically in the head with his microphone, and cheers and laughter disproportionate to the small audience. The audience has engaged and the band has entertained. An utterly brilliant performance.

William Hall

Crystal Castles - Glasgow ABC

Fresh from releasing the excellent Crystal Castles III, the Canadian synth-punks roll into town at the end of their UK tour with a fearsome reputation as a live act preceding them.

Unfortunately, Glaswegian rockers Vukovi are already being rushed off stage when SI arrives at the venue at 7:45 tonight and the rapidly swelling crowd are instead treated to a set from female DJ trio Pretty Ugly. It should be pretty much impossible to spin the likes of Le Tigre’s ‘Deceptacon’ and ‘Paper Planes’ by MIA and not get arms in the air, yet maybe it’s the raised lights or the black clad nature of the gig itself but appendages stay resolutely pinned to sides. Ladyhawke’s ‘My Delirium’ manages four hands, two of which are attached to the same body (mine). After Pretty Ugly vanish (preferably without a trace) the house DJ’s decide to treat us to the complete back catalogue of Wu Tang Clan, which without inherently being a bad decision sits rather awkwardly with a mostly teenage, white and Scottish crowd; all of whom look fairly unlikely to have first-hand experience of New York gang life. The headliners are elusive though, and leaving almost an hour before taking the stage raises a couple of boos from the crowd. 

When the lights finally dim however, chaos duly ensues as Crystal Castles ensnare Glasgow in their dark grasp. Opening with the evil one-two of ‘Plague’ and ‘Baptism’, Alice Glass and Ethan Kath unleash the gates of sonic hell upon a sell-out crowd of gig-goers, triggering a mess of flailing limbs and enthusiastic pogoing. Charisma and attitude undoubtedly win out over vocal talent for Alice Glass. She’s a menacing, magnetic presence and when she stands astride a sea of hands, mouthing ‘I love you’ to adoring hordes it’s as if she’s a vampire drawing strength from the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd. Far from the druggy vibe of this summer’s live footage tonight she looks focused and energetic, throwing herself around the stage and twirling her microphone out into the crowd as Ethan disappears in clouds of thick smoke. 

Drenched in blue light she purrs through a monstrous ‘Black Panther’ backed by Ethan’s electronic arsenal of synths n’ tricks and a live drummer. Debut single ‘Alice Practice’ is a formidable statement of intent but even live the chorus is too awkward and un-danceable to make you move your feet. If anything it’s like being dropped into an angry and disorientating Gameboy game. Amidst an hour and a quarter of craziness the duo drop in tracks from all three albums but special cheers seem reserved for the colossal synth-rave of ‘Sad Eyes’ and ‘Wrath of God’ from Crystal Castles III. As possibly the only tracks on which Alice’s voice can be heard clearly, they may yet mark a path towards an increased emphasis on melody over crashing beats and ear-piercing sirens. 

Everything you’ve heard about Crystal Castles being an electro-gig with the vibe of a hardcore-punk show is almost vindicated by the razorsharp attack of ‘Crime Wave’ or the dubstep drops of ‘Pale Flesh’ though the twisted, distorted thump of ‘Insulin’ is only for those who liked CC best when they sounded like a toaster going through an existential crisis. Even if you remain unconvinced by the raw old-school synth attack of their records, live Crystal Castles are a thrilling prospect.  

Max Sefton

We'd like to extent a thanks to Glasgow's finest in the form of RaveChild for allowing us to use their lovely photos by Juliet Eccleston. HERE