03.24.08
It’s not for the cock, it’s for keeping going
Los Campesinos!/Johnny Foreigner/Ultcult @ Leadmill 19/02/2008
Praised by Gareth Campesinos as his favourite band at the moment, four piece Ultcult have ended up playing their fourth ever gig as the opening support on the main stage for Los Campesinos. Their music has a strange, twisted feel to it, with the use of strings, delicate sounding keyboards and a drum machine, Ultcult have found that unique and interesting sound that so many bands strive for. However, being only their fourth gig, they had very little presence on the stage and seemed to struggle getting their sound across. Fair play to them for taking the opportunity, but it seems just a little premature, perhaps this would have been suitable in a couple of months, but for tonight it just didn’t seem to fit.
Johnny Foreigner, a trio from Birmingham, have been touted by many blogs, including this one, as a band to watch out for 2008. With fast-paced guitars, quick drums and alternate boy-girl vocals, Johnny Foreigner’s ‘noisy pop’ really got everyone’s attention. They lost momentum half way through with the decision to cover ‘The Pavements’ as they “didn’t have any slow songs of their own.” It wasn’t a bad cover, just that it didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the set. Despite this Johnny Foreigner managed to pull off a blinder of a set, leaving Los Campesinos! the hard task of following such great support act.
Los Campesinos! take to the stage, jumping straight into “Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats” followed quickly by “Please don’t tell to do the Math(s)” proving instantly why they are the headliners. Gareth Campesinos! then announces that he is losing his voice. Throughout the gig he struggles on, putting everything he has into to it, however it is obvious to everyone that he is having problems and stops the crowd getting into the set. Los Campesinos! battle on managing to still put on quite a show. The strumming of one chord starts to ring out around The Leadmill signalling the beginning of signature track “You! Me! Dancing!” evoking the only reaction from the crowd all night, which was a shame; the band plays a set that would normally get any crowd going, but here the crowd remain stagnant. Finishing off with “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks” Los Campesinos! leave the stage to polite applause only to return for an encore the crowd didn’t deserve.
Five Bedrooms Two Lounges - Ultcult (mp3)
Salt, Pepper and Spinderella - Johnny Foreigner (mp3)
We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives - Los Campesinos! (mp3)
Princess said,
March 29, 2008 at 4:39 am
I just found this when I was drunkenly downloading J’fo after explaining their aswesomeness to my housemate! The system works!