06.21.08

It’s not for the cock, it’s for all the bright colours

Posted in G-Town, Gigs at 2:19 pm by Gavin Williams

Awesome Color/Fight Like Apes/You Judas/Nephu Huzzband @ The Bodega Social 16/6/08

Tonight, the Social boasts a line up of high calibre with four very different and promising bands. They’re all loud and, I imagine, pretty proud of the fact. To a crowd that grows with each band, the nights activities begin.

First on is Nottingham band Nephu Huzzband. After knocking around on the peripheries of the Nottingham gig circuit for a while, they’re finally starting to get a bit more nationwide attention. It’s quite plain to see why as well. They bring to mind influences from Foals to Battles to The Cure, yet quite firmly stamp their individuality over the top. All ferocious and precise drums here (the drummer is actually amazing) and buzz saw guitars there, the band go from thrash to indie via an atmospheric part funk build up within minutes. While Nephu Huzzband might not quite be the finished product yet, they practically pull their potential out of their shirt top pocket and flaunt it right in your face. Certainly one of Nottingham’s brightest current hopes.

http://www.myspace.com/nephuhuzzband

However, before long You Judas come on and rudely intrude on our attention span with their doom infected, saggy bass led, drowning-in-your-own-filth type sound which doesn’t so much conjure up Black Sabbath but more vomits all over their legacy. Their slightly too cocky attitude and the fact that they have a fondness for repeating the same, pretty sub standard, riff over and over and fucking over again for about 25 minutes doesn’t do them any favours either.  

http://www.myspace.com/youjudas

Next on are the fantastic Irish quartet, Fight Like Apes. With a very entertaining and endearing childish demeanour, the band race through their set of indefinable but pulse increasing sound. They finish every song with a floppy, foot stamping and resilient climax. Singer May Kay is a wonder to behold. Looking like the back of Russell Brand, she twists and turns, pouts and leans precariously on the mic stand, at all builds up and explodes when she and the keyboardist start wrestling on the floor. With ADHD tapping of synths and fuzz up to the max bass guitar, they create a fantastically shambolic sound. A brilliant band and once you’ve got your head around the chaotic, loud yet melodic sound jumping from their amps, they’re a jaw dropping live act.

http://www.myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic

Awesome Colour finally make it onstage and the American trio waste no time in whipping up a musical shit storm. The drums get a whirlwind battering while the guitar is treated to a raunchy, unrestrained thrashing to create a psychedelic, head throbbing blast with bug eyed Iggy Pop vocals as the icing on the cake. Almost reminiscent of garage rock yet only less of the suspicious bulge in the trousers and more fucked up ideas/twisted mind on drugs. 

With the sprawling “Eyes of Light”, the band drag their instruments flailing towards a noisy, chaotic finish. Throughout the set, singer/guitarist Derek Stanton and his eager hands flourish around the fret board, unrestrained and with passion.

 

Unfortunately, like all of the bands tonight (perhaps with the exception of Fight Like Apes), the in-between song banter is pretty weak. As each song finishes, the atmosphere created so well by the music vanishes rapidly. However, this is a minor set back and during the gig and Awesome Colour maintain a constant musical high. They’re loud and unashamed, but with enough musical integrity to keep proceedings exciting.

http://www.myspace.com/awesomecolor

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