Midgar*****
Atum
Press To Meco
The Perfect Crime
93 Feet East Shoreditch 11th
January 2012
I’ve got to admit, it
was my first time at this hipster venue tucked away at the solemn and shadowy
end of London’s achingly fashionable Brick Lane. But, excitedly and full of
meat products and new world wine (following a tortuous industry dinner) I
skipped into the unknown ready to be wowed by Midgar et al. Well, due to my
tardiness, just Midgar and Atum actually - I sadly missed The Perfect Crime and
Press To Meco.
An encouraging start;
the room was a good old size with a big raised stage, a retro Bakerlite front
of house PA, a well-stocked bar and a smattering of what looked like industry
types mingling with scene refugees and trendy web developers . But it was only
a smattering. Disappointingly.
Atum**1/2**
First up were Atum
(after an interminable sound check.) A five piece from North West London Town
apparently. I had no idea what to expect but was ready to be impressed.
Michael Hupping, the
singer looked like a mod on the run or a cross between a Gallagher brother and
Joey Barton and he was clutching drumsticks. No idea why. Didn’t see him do
anything with them, but clutching them he was.
The set started and
slid into a pleasant enough melange of a proggy vibe with an indie backbone via
Tool and Karnivool with dollops of whisked up Kasabian, subtle hints of
Deftones on a bed of freshly picked Intronaut.
A heady mix. It kind
of worked in places but was a little bland and flat in others. But the
cavernous and empty venue did little to heighten the flavours. Add in a
terrible sound and some fairly terminal tuning issues and the overall
aftertaste was nowhere near as good as it could have been.
Saying all that,
despite Hupping looking like a heroin mod chic extra on Casualty, he had some
vocal chop. A pretty spectacular range; from a controlled low end Stuart
Staplesesque baritone to a soaring Jeff Buckley higher register. And some of
the tunes weren’t at all bad. Would like to give them another chance in a
fuller, smaller venue with better sound and the use of a guitar tuner wouldn’t
go amiss.
So, my second starter
of the evening seen off, what would the main event serve up?
I’d rather hope the
disappointingly flaccid crowd would swell to the size of a Blue Whale’s woodie for Midgar. But, sadly and unbelievably it got to about a 20% lazy lob and that
would just have to do.
Maybe it was the
choice of venue. The time of year. The lack of listings or people being skint,
but it staggers me that one of the UK’s greatest young musical talents didn’t
pack the hipster hall to its rafters. They deserve to.
No matter, I was lucky
enough to be here and was salivating at the prospect.
 |
| Vennart/Wilson-Taylor. The transformation continues. |
Midgar are a mash up
of many influences, genres and styles. Sweeping arpeggios, intricate tapped and swept
guitar work, heavy as hell drops and riffage, triggered 808s, harmonics,
orchestral samples all Araldited together with a tight as a rusted Scammel wheel
nut rhythm section and all topped with Wilson-Taylor’s masterful, mesmerising, powerful,
hypnotic and other-worldly vocals
 |
| The Welcomed New Member of Midgar |
Their set tonight was primarily made up of new stuff. And bloody great new stuff at that.
There were a couple of
older faves thrown in – Set closer, Karmic Retribution and the always wonderful Vincent’s
Masquerade (no Colour Us or Lead Your Children To The Sky – with or without
Steve ‘The Dude’ Sitkowski – though) but tonight was a celebration of the
future. And what a future it threatens to be.
 |
| The PA didn't help |
It will be a heinous
crime if these boys have to play in many more half-empty toilets. They deserve
a bigger stage. A bigger blue whale’s penis and I can’t wait to see them again
and for the new album. I know Alex Baker on Kerrang! Radio is a fan and does his bit, but more people need to hear this lot. They deserve a wider audience. Here’s hoping they manage to hop onto the festival
carousel this summer and charm the nation's earholes.
In the meantime, brilliant stuff
tonight. Here’s to much, much more to come.
As a footnote,
Wilson-Taylor mentioned they were in the process of trying to find the right
producer for the new record - how about this for an idea? Dan Lancaster of
Proceed and studio Glass Eye. Just imagine….oh god, the whale’s awakening at
the prospect.
Maybeshewill*****
Cats And Cats And
Cats*****
A Genuine
Freakshow*****
The Lexington Islington 15th
December 2011
Packed house. Bursting
at the seams. Lots of Christmas cheer. Many elaborately knitted sweaters and
more than a few novelty santa hats.
A Genuine Freakshow*****
 |
| A Genuine Cat Show. No, wait a minute... |
Cats And Cats And Cats*****
 |
| There's a cat in me kitchen what am I going to do? |
Wow. Just wow. The
place turned into a worshipful writhing mass of appreciation and love. The band
were obviously feeding of this unbelievable energy. They smiled. They preened.
They pranced. They fucking loved it. And so did we all.
Instrumental music
can, to some, appear unfinished or incomplete. These people are nicompoops,
ninnies and ne’erdowells. Maybeshewill, along with bands like ASIWYFA and Yndi
Helda prove (as if it were needed) that lyrics and vocals are not always needed to convey the most
amazing emotion. To transport the mind. To entrance, amaze and stun. Well, it
didn’t stop Sibelius, Elgar or Mozart, did it?
After the album
recital, the boys gleefully clambered back onto the stage and further massaged
the love-struck Yuletide revellers with three encores including the
heart-stopping Paris Hilton Sex Tape. A true privilege to have been there. A
magical, emotional, beautiful and stunning evening that will go down as one of
the very best.
The ever remarkable Xcerts next.
More tunes soon. Bwoooar.
The ever remarkable Xcerts next.
More tunes soon. Bwoooar.
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