Fight Like Apes: 2009's next big thing.
Showing posts with label REVIEWS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label REVIEWS. Show all posts
The Kills
The Kills
Supported by XXTEENS
COVENTRY KASBAH - 11th November
There might be only two of them, but they have no problem filling a stage. The Kills are one band not to be missed. Forget the fact that Jamie 'Hotel' Hince is dating Kate Moss. The Kills are the best thing since sliced bread.
The night kicked off with 'U.R.A Fever' setting the pace for the night. Other songs like Alphabet Pony, Sour Cherry and Cheap and cheerful induced the only instance of moshing ever seen at an electro gig.
VV Mosshart quieted the audience with other songs like Last Day Magic. Writhing to the amps, and getting very seduced by red wine during the set.
There was no breaks between songs. Throughout the entire set, the audience was transfixed, from the moment the Kills came onstage, until the moment they stepped off. Thus leaving room for a well deserved encore.
Fight Like Apes, Birmingham Barfly
Gig review: Fight Like Apes,
Levis One to Watch Tour.
3.5 stars
Im not sure whether the support acts were boring, or that the Headliners were incredibly good. Fight like Apes proved that they are indeed ‘One to Watch’.
With a meshing of synth, bass, and vocals like razor blades, Fight like Apes are tipped to be the next big thing of 2009.
With song like ‘Lend Me Your Face’ and ‘Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues’, its not hard to see why. During the night, the band used that Irish Charm to seduce the audience into laughter. There was electro waltzes, beats induced with old bricks, which were used to hit the audience barrier, not to mention a bass player, who left his bass for the audience and amp feedback to play.
The only bad thing the band has going for them, is that they were unfortunate to tour alongside the Ting Tings. Luckily they have now been redeemed and hand picked to support Prodigy’s new up and coming tour in 2009.
November 1st
Cage the Elephant. Coventry Kasbah
*****
Cage the Elephant stormed the stage on Saturday night. Already stardazed, thanks to their brilliant new album. Cage the Elephant kicked off their U.K. tour with a set, so tight, it nearly burst the seams of the venue.
The packed out set kicked off with the hit single, ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’. Before long, the crowd was jumping to the music. The energy didn’t let up for one second. By the time that ‘In One Ear’ was played, almost everyone in the place was in for the anthem. Guitarist, Brad Schultz engaged the crowd with ear splittingly precise solo’s.
With sweat dripping from the ceiling, the atmosphere was electrifying. The support bands were at best, mediocre. If they were a pat on the back, then Cage the Elephant were like a punch in the stomach. Not only are the band better live, but they prove the best things are short and sweet.
Who Killed Amanda Palmer
With vocals that rip up through piano keys like they were pieces of paper. Amanda Palmer is one bitch out of hell, well worth a listen.
7 out of 10.
Who Killed Amanda Palmer? Is the solo debut from the Dresden Dolls front woman. If you liked the Dresden Dolls first album then you will love this album.
The self confessed exhibitionist is a theatrical and manic as ever. Palmer retains her piano punk edge despite her hiatus from drummer Brian Viglione.
The album is part punk, part hymnal, part cabaret and a little brassy.
It is riddled with collaborations, from Dead Kennedys guitarist to Rasputina’s Zoe Keating. Palmer says that when Ben Folds volunteered to produce her solo album it evolved into something quite different. What began as a ‘simple, stripped-down, record-in-in-my-underwear-in-my-apartment-in-boston kinda thing’ ended up being ‘not simple at all’.
The album reads slightly like a film soundtrack. The songs are easily charged with emotion. The erratic album is laden with stories. ‘The Point of it all’ and ‘Another Year’ are enough to make anyone with PMT cry for two days. On the flipside, the sick comedy of ‘Melissa Mahoney’ will make you laugh out loud.
The unlikely collaboration with Ben Folds, somehow, form a musical marriage made in heaven. Palmer is a little bit more political and a lot better produced.
Be warned, this album might be better listened to in parts. Most songs come in at over 4 minutes long. If you have the patience to sit an listen to all 12, (hidden track included) then you wont be disappointed.
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, took the Birmingham Academy Stage in an orgy of sound on Sunday 21st May.
From the moment she stepped onstage to the moment she stepped off she electrified her audience by conjuring up a bodacious cacophony.
Modelling a silver cat suit, old converse shoes and eyelinered in lines of black with florescent orange streaks in place of blusher. Karen O is the only women who could ooze sex whilst sporting a bowl cut and mirror ball on her head.
The night kicked off with ‘Turn Into’ a slow melodic mixture of electro and acoustic and before fully immersing the fans in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs during the song ‘Pin’ from their previous album.
The band mixed their newest songs from their latest album ‘Gold Lion’ with their oldest from the self titled ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ album and ‘Fever to Tell.. Karen O was supported by guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase.
Their new material off ‘Gold Lion’ may not attract fans of ‘Fever to Tell’ , but where the latter is full of fury and sex ‘Gold Lion’ follows in the vein of love and its losses.
The songs ‘Gold Lion’ and ‘Phenomena’ went down well with the audience , who succeeded in drowning the front woman at certain points with her own songs.
Showmanship or rather show – womanship kept the audience transfixed. For instance, ‘Gold Lion’ was sung with a sparkling sheet over her head. Spraying beer from her mouth was another feat.
Curling and contorting her body from foetal positions to striking poses that hark back to classic pictures of Bowie and Iggy Pop, Karen O beguiled her audience.
Although Karen O’s band played well with a few minor hitches from in terms of key, she but was well backed up by drummer, Brian Chase who paced the whole set giving time for the front woman to catch her breath.
Men want her and women want to be her. Karen O stood as an effigy, a modern day, space age goddess. A fact apparent from the number of female clones that stood in the audience.
Normally an essential part of a good gig is that the artist involves the audience by speaking to them and interacting, but on this occasion it was almost as if you didn’t want her to speak because it tarnished the idea of a modern day icon of music and fashion that she is hailed as.
The headliners were supported by Har Mar Superstar’s new band Sha Na Na and The Services, heavy synth band that sounded a bit like Prodigy crossed with Disturbed. Har Mar’s band had little to offer except the positive addition of old Distillers guitarist, Tony Bradley and the fact that Har Mar decided to not get naked.
Although there will be more to come from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O is a woman who has an interesting future ahead of her, with a rumoured solo project she is well worth keeping an eye on.
From the moment she stepped onstage to the moment she stepped off she electrified her audience by conjuring up a bodacious cacophony.
Modelling a silver cat suit, old converse shoes and eyelinered in lines of black with florescent orange streaks in place of blusher. Karen O is the only women who could ooze sex whilst sporting a bowl cut and mirror ball on her head.
The night kicked off with ‘Turn Into’ a slow melodic mixture of electro and acoustic and before fully immersing the fans in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs during the song ‘Pin’ from their previous album.
The band mixed their newest songs from their latest album ‘Gold Lion’ with their oldest from the self titled ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ album and ‘Fever to Tell.. Karen O was supported by guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase.
Their new material off ‘Gold Lion’ may not attract fans of ‘Fever to Tell’ , but where the latter is full of fury and sex ‘Gold Lion’ follows in the vein of love and its losses.
The songs ‘Gold Lion’ and ‘Phenomena’ went down well with the audience , who succeeded in drowning the front woman at certain points with her own songs.
Showmanship or rather show – womanship kept the audience transfixed. For instance, ‘Gold Lion’ was sung with a sparkling sheet over her head. Spraying beer from her mouth was another feat.
Curling and contorting her body from foetal positions to striking poses that hark back to classic pictures of Bowie and Iggy Pop, Karen O beguiled her audience.
Although Karen O’s band played well with a few minor hitches from in terms of key, she but was well backed up by drummer, Brian Chase who paced the whole set giving time for the front woman to catch her breath.
Men want her and women want to be her. Karen O stood as an effigy, a modern day, space age goddess. A fact apparent from the number of female clones that stood in the audience.
Normally an essential part of a good gig is that the artist involves the audience by speaking to them and interacting, but on this occasion it was almost as if you didn’t want her to speak because it tarnished the idea of a modern day icon of music and fashion that she is hailed as.
The headliners were supported by Har Mar Superstar’s new band Sha Na Na and The Services, heavy synth band that sounded a bit like Prodigy crossed with Disturbed. Har Mar’s band had little to offer except the positive addition of old Distillers guitarist, Tony Bradley and the fact that Har Mar decided to not get naked.
Although there will be more to come from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O is a woman who has an interesting future ahead of her, with a rumoured solo project she is well worth keeping an eye on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
