Mastodon @ Roundhouse 24/02/2010

Last night was Yeasayer, all poppy electro with vocal harmonies, tonight its a juggernaut of chugging riffs and shredded guitar solos. Intensity is a description of a situation which pushes the envelope somewhat. Mastodon for all their hair and brawn are a melodic band, with intricate rhythms. They are large hairy men with an air of hick about them, guitarist Bill Kelliher even rocks a mohawk mullet. They are joined on stage by a keyboardist who looks a little like a Mexican bandit with a shaved head and handle bar tache.

Bassist and singer Troy Sanders is shamanic in his delivery baying lines into his mic while plucking a pulsing beat anchoring Brent Hinds's playing. I enjoy Mastodon's music, I like the fact that they have pushed the boundaries in metal in terms of their subject matter and sound. I don't know them well enough to sing along but I do recognise a number of their songs, I had read about them being a band to be experienced live and I wasn't disappointed.

It was loud and I wore earplugs, again the crowd were a little off, standing stock still at a lively gig. The heavy rock gets to some though, a guy in front of me takes unkindly to being pushed when others are making their way through the crowd and shoves back. He takes exception to one guy who starts a bit of a pit with another and grabs him around the chops for barging around. There some handbags before others intervene and they glare at each other amongst the cacophony.

The band come on with this incredible screen as a backdrop. Initially it's stars flying around a dark screen, then it turns into a mixture of black and white and sepia film clips of an old bearded man looking like a monk walking around, a reference no doubt to Rasputin, about whom part of new album “Crack The Skye” is about. The visuals continue in a kaleidoscopic melange of monotone images with pale colours and samples of their album artwork. Like at Yeasayer it is hypnotic, a number of times I sit back and just tune into the music and watch the visuals tuning in to Hind's solos.

I saw The Mars Volta in the summer at Somerset House, they came on at half eight and played for two hours, it was amazing, the band came on, played their hearts out, and walked off. Mastodon don't play as long, and hour and a quarter or so but they walk on get straight into it and play hard. They play “Crack The Skye” in its entirety before leaving the stage momentarily, and returning for an encore which touches on their previous albums with songs from “Blood Mountain”, “Leviathan” and “Remission”. They deliver great renditions of “Divinations” and “The Last Baron” in the initial set and finish on an epic “March of The Fire Ants”.
Its only at the end that the band finally speak to the loving audience, “Thank you so fucking much”, they are highly appreciative and the crowd are loving in return.

Yeasayer @ Heaven 23/02/2010

Another 3 gig week, I'm still tired from the start of the month and looking forward to March. Not till the end of the week though.

Yea, say yeah! Mastodon and hot shit Hot Chip preclude the rest.

I've wanted to get a load of the Yeasayer live show since having a listen to the first album and here we are, in Heaven, where else?

We get in early to check out Javelin, Richey, tonight’s co-pilot has given them an ear on the hype. Javelin are a gas, two guys clothed a la “American Apparel” synth and bass the hell out of the soundsystem.  All the while they've got a video show going on, it’s all clips of training and how to videos from the 80s. A mulleted Andre Agassi hitting balls around and about, some chick showing you how to break dance, a learning video for scuba diving, jumping cetaceans at Sea World somewhere, interspersed with bright colours.

I meet drummer, George Langford after, he says the video is a shorter version of a longer original. I stand there listening my voicebox vibrating from the bass mesmerized by the short clips.

They got beats and cred, they sell their mix cds in card cases made from other peoples 12 inch covers,  they also sell download codes for their as yet unreleased new album. Its DIY Y2K1000, they are the new beat poets, they probably hang in the new dens wherever will be cool next year, to add to the cred singer Tom Van Buskirk spent seven months at Goldsmith’s.

Yeasayer take their good time but they appear, guitarist Anand Wilder and Chris Keating are both in all in ones, though Anand’s is all colours like he has been on a paint job with a look of a dishevelled Jamie Cullum.  Bassist Ira Wolf Tuton used to be all long curls and facial hair but now sports a short Mohican and has something of the Kurgan about him, he wields his bass like the mighty warrior’s sword and fingers a grooving a bass line.

They start with Odd Blood openers “The Children” and “Madder Red”.  No video backdrop here just a background of lights with the synth stands also light boxes. It’s something of a dream sequence, at times I feel somewhere just below waking.  At one point I phase out during a song, I am not sure which one but when I come to I have no idea how long I have been out, it might have been hours, days, years, it’s more like 3 minutes but when I come back up the groove gets on.

The crowd oddify things further tonight, its a great mix like at Rammstein, older folk, young über cool angular hair cut kids, middle aged types, its all very middle class of course and despite grooves of the second half of a set featuring “O.N.E.”, “Rome” and “Mondegreen” people seldom move instead standing straight faced and serious looking. O.N.E. gets some minor bopping, I feel alone dancing along and try to reduce my swaying to a minimum less I disturb the boring ones.

The lights, the vocal harmonies; Keating, Wilder and Tuton all chip in vocally and mix it up, particularly on the set closing “2080”, mixed with the backing flashing lights, its all beautiful, the soungs and moulded for the live show, pulled, Wilder shows off his musicianship on the Rickenbacker. Chris Keating is a funny frontman, something of Thom Yorke’s wild cat dancing and staccato moves. His one piece is navy and looks like it might be on the small side, he smiles and sips tea from a white mug between songs. 

They walk off after a great “Ambling Alp” but I am steadfast until I hear “Sunrise” and “2080” from All Hours Cymbals. The expected encore comes after the audience stamp their feet, the most some have moved all night. Both are extrapolated beautifully live, particularly the mixed vocal on “2080”.

Songs and encores all wrapped up, it’s a slow journey out, home and onto Mastodon.

Jamie T. @ Brixton Academy 05/02/10

After last night's big show and great mixed audience tonight is a different set up. Brixton plays host to a delayed Jamie T gig. I hadn't thought about what the fans might be like but it's a lads night, lots of young men in Topman attire, Hackett polos, collars turned up, checked shirts all round. Some even smoke during the gig, as if their beer swilling loutish behaviour isn't enough, they are smoking in doors.

Funny how something which a few years ago seemed completely normal is now shocking. I must be coming over all prudish here, perhaps I was a little tired, but after a gig at which I expected a boisterous crowd and was pleasantly surprised to not be carried around tonight seems a little excessive. A case in point is the prick behind me, after a hail of beer is thrown over, he decides to wipe his hands on my coat, I can feel someone touching me and turn to see some bloke wiping his hands on me. His mate laughs heartily.

That's not to take away from the performance. Jamie T eventually appears to great applause and starts with “Emily's Heart” almost as if getting one of the weaker songs out of the way. Third song in “Salvador” really kicks things up, the crowd roar along. The song is a lot faster live than on the album, it sneers and pumps you up. “You up for a night out?” he asks. Yes we are, some more than others. Three gigs in a week and it kicks up on the third.

Jamie is clearly having fun on stage, perhaps it's the privilege of playing at Brixton Academy or perhaps it is finally being able to play gigs postponed due to illness. It is my first time seeing him, perhaps he is always this energetic. If so, great, a lot of bands appear on stage sing, nod, mumble some thanks and go off in the night, I like my bands to give me something on stage. Jamie T runs around, he jumps up onto the speaker stack, during the encore he jumps off and rolls across the stage still singing all the while. His back up band the Pacemakers are tight and really keep the songs going all funky base and crisp chords.

The set is a mix of old songs, pre-Panic Prevention, including "Northern Line" and newer ones from Kings and Queens. He starts singing “Sheila” and is unhappy with the audience's response so starts again. He ends the first set with “If You've Got The Money”. All songs are sung with joy and a cheeky grin.

He finishes with “Sticks and Stones” it is amazing live, the audience go ballistic, there are flailing limbs down at the front. It was a good gig, and, to quote an older member of the audience, “He's good but I don't like his fans much”. I agree.

Rammstein @ Wembley Arena 04/02/10

A sign by the entrance to the arena reads “Please be aware that the following special effects may be in use during the performance:

• 
  
  Strobe Lighting
• 
  
  Pyrotechnics
• 
  
  Loud Bangs
• 
  
  Smoke Effects
• 
  
  Flame Effects”

This was not a gig for those of faint disposition. This was a gig which came with much anticipation, Rammstein's first UK dates for 5 years, I bought my ticket off the reputation of previous live shows featuring flame throwing guitars and front man Till Lindemann setting himself alight and jumping into the audience.

There's a lovely build up when going to a gig at Wembley, the distance from the train station to the venue, in its almost industrial estate bleakness gears you up for what lays ahead. I laughed crossing the piazza thing outside the arena, they were playing Tears for Fears' “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”. Indeed.

Once inside I can hear Combichrist's dire cacophony from outside the arena itself, I don't go in, a look at their website somewhat put me off.

Pint secured and snaking men's queue battled I wander in and take a spot, 15 minutes says the tannoy, ooh yeah. There's that great feeling of hope when a stage is cloaked in a black shroud. When you can see baby dolls feet hanging from the lighting rig. There is a pretty mixed crowd, whole families on outings, dads and their teenage sons, the two white haired men behind me who jump around and point, the leather clad Pole who pumps his fist like Kriss Akabusi and cloaks me once in the jaw with his pointy elbow and the headbanging meathead in front with the “Made in England” tattoo and the two young men who thrash around and shake as if possessed by demons eyes rolling in their sockets.

Lights go out, a roar erupts, nothing happens then something starts breaking through a wall, light pours through the hole, guitarist Richard Kruspe pick axes his way through a wall before swapping the pick for his guitar. Singer Till welds his way through, crash bang wallop, we're off. He stands at his mic a light emanating from his mouth.

During the gig he stalks the stage like a demon headmaster with a look of torturer about him, something about him reminds me of a feared maths teachers of mine from when I was 12, he commands the audience with a flick of the wrist. He stares demon-eyed, he sings, he chants, he roars and we adore. None of them would look far out of place in an S&M club, topless or leather clad with belt chains and boots.

The huge stage rig is all industrial bleakness, there's huge lights, fans, flashing crosses of their logo, lots of pyro, bangs and sparks, rockets. Its a vision of hell via cabaret. Rumours of a Haiti tribute gig are unconfirmed. I wonder if they might play Glastonbury at the same time as U2, out-noise and out-stage each other perhaps...

I'm not sure what the full set list was, truth is I only really started listening to them after buying the tickets, I'm here for the spectacle but I do enjoy the music, its big, operatic, loud and fun. They do play “Feuer Frei”, complete with flame throwers on their faces, “Du Hast” is a big sing-a-long with great pyro, “Ich Will” is evil sounding but magnificent. The babies I had seen earlier descend above the stage and have green lazers coming from their heads. A contraption appears on stage during “Pussy” and is unveiled as a phallic cannon which Till rides from one side of the stage to another as is showers the audience with foam. He thrusts his hips as he does so.

During one song, he has a flame throwing gun in one hand and a flare in the other, a hoodie clad young man appears on stage looking like an audience member, he gets set alight and runs around momentarily, it's set up but looks great, don't mess with the band or you'll get burnt. There's two encores, the second we are made to wait for more than the first but it is worth it. Till appears with large metal wings, they of course have flame throwers on the wing tips, and after sprouting large flames a number of small fireworks on them go off. It is all a lot of fun. Metal by way of cabaret.

Each piece is big, brash and stupendous. At times the smell of phosphorus is stronger than that of the sweat. You can feel the heat from the pyro flames.

During the first encore synthesiser Flake embarks on a trip above the audience in a blow up dingy, he is passed along on a sea of hands pointing the way he wants to go and miming rowing the boat, it's great. All bands should do this, and live music would go from strength to strength.

“We love this very much, thank you” the band look truly thankful to the audience, this is a shared experience. Someone throws a t-shirt on stage, Oliver Riedel, the bassist, who is topless puts it on, it's a Rammstein t-shirt. We are all in this together. The band members walk up onto the podiums on the side of the stage and cheer the crowd.

We may not have sung along, many did know all the words, but music is about feeling just as much as the meaning each song has. This was as much a show as a music concert, but when it is this fun, who cares.

Miike Sow @ Scala 02/02/2010

More tickets bought on the back of a few track listens and the hearing the album a bit. Anyway, NME Awards tour, usually throws up a few bits and pieces. I'm going to three gigs this week and this wasn't the one I was most looking forward to, that award goes to Rammstein on Thursday, pyro here I come!

Anyway, Animal, Burial, Sylvia, Black & Blue are all good songs,  the album is good as a whole and it was a great gig. We got there to see the second support act, the great Theophilus London, check out his myspace and blog. His one aim was to get the audience swaying which he did, his stage presence and moves were great and the booty shacking beats and bass of his music all worked to great effect. One song features a sample of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" a song he had always wanted to hear in clubs. This New York cat has style, never takes his sunglasses off and flirts with girls at the front of the crowd and moves around enough to interrupt his mic which keeps crackling. Theophilus has a touch of the Spank Rock about him, and man I wish they would do another album, bring on the ACTs! Theophilus is fun and should hopefully leave us with some good time party jams, he's doing some more shows in London so check out his blog, including on at Fabric this Friday which also features Spank Rock on the line-up...mystery, mystery, it's all mystery.


After Theophilus's energetic show Miike Snow eventually appear, with a full band, all in matching black jackets and white masks, amidst a lot of dry ice and swirling white and purple lights and it takes a little while for them to kick in, seemingly a little anti-climatic but after the opening song they go straight into "Burial" and follow it up with "Black and Blue". And the crowd love it, and are moving. There's alot to be said for a band that makes the live experience something to savour, the songs are built up live, throbbing baselines and big beats add to the original album's sound. Frontman Andrew Wyatt gets out into the front of the crowd and gives it everything.

On stage Miike Snow's three members are joined by a bassist, who sports an Amish looking hat, a drummer and an extra man on synths. The good but, for me, not extraordinary sound of the album is great live, I don't want to hammer the point but it was great. They ended their main set with "Animal" which really gets the crowd going. Again it is beefed up and the original is expanded, extended, brought out of its mould and turned into something bigger and better. We, the audience jump around and sing-a-long, as you should with such great pop and of course declare in unison, that we too are all animals.

Miike Snow live? Wicked man. An instrumental encore slightly dampens the mood, they are great musicians and sound great but it is a little anti-climatic after the beast that was "Animal". A gargantuan Scala cloakroom queue further dampens the mood but Miike Snow pleasantly surpassed all initial expectations and are in strong contention for my gig of the week.

One down, two to go. Did I mention I love live music?