GLASVEGAS
DOE FACE LILLIAN
Camden Roundhouse, May 14th 08
This year, Scottish troupe Glasvegas have been steadily but surely making a name for themselves following endorsements from Alan McGee and the NME, at whose ceremony they won an award this year. Their beefy brand of Spector-influenced indiepop has been heard on two official releases, the glorious ‘It’s My Own Cheating Heart’ and the epic ‘Daddy’s Gone’, which was a far cry from the original, skiffle-punk demo. And tonight they headline the sold-out Roundhouse in Camden.
But first, we are greeted with the familiar sight of Doe Face Lillian. And if tonight’s set is anything to go by, it’s a sight that will become more familiar as time progresses.
With all three members onstage (programmer Magenta is on the audience’s right, vocalist/guitarist David is positioned audience left and bassist Rob moves maniacally in the middle), the aesthetic of the group is something to behold in a larger venue such as this, and they launch into their guttural noise punk with suitable aplomb.
Although much of their set is based around frenetic cacophonies of the most pleasing kind (think Mary Chain and Sonic Youth going head to head with The Horrors and even Placebo), the group really shine when playing slower, mid-paced material such as the crowd-pleasing ‘Vision’, a Cure-esque ballad with U2-esque guitars and a call-and-response chorus that sounds a bit like Ian Curtis interrupting a Bob Smith phonecall. Ian Curtis being Rob, of course, who takes lead vocals for the group’s other slow number, a song clearly indebted to the Mancunian miserablists but with added psych-noise guitar from David (his style veers between noise rock and shoegaze brilliantly throughout.) Having said that, they are a fast-paced outfit in spirit, and they finish up with David triggering all sorts of feedback-laden sounds and general noise from his guitar, amp and pedals, much to the crowd’s approval.
Glasvegas then appear before a crowd that seems to include a fair portion of people who’ve made it down from Scotland to see their band perform. Straight away, reverb-soaked guitars shimmy in and remind us of Creation heroes My Bloody Valentine and The House Of Love (proto-shoegaze legends who you can read more about this issue.) Vocalist James Allan’s singing gives the music a soulful and heartfelt feel, which is exactly what it is, as he croons wistful and often nostalgic lyrics in his native accent.
The Mo Tucker / Bobby Gillespie drums shouldn’t work with music that sounds this huge, but thankfully they do, as guitarist Rab manages to combine playing what are fairly intricate, sometimes Edge-esque lead lines, with throwing his guitar around his head. Bathed in red light, the four of them look awesome as the crowd sings along to every word of the songs, some of which haven’t even been released. And as for the songs, it seems that the group are poised to take an epic, shoegaze / 60’s Wall of Sound – inspired direction, possibly leaving behind the 50s / surf – influenced style that graced early versions, most notably the aforementioned ‘Daddy’s Gone.’
Finally, with six songs played and just one more to go, James announces the group’s intention to ‘piss off after this one’ and, rather sweetly, he does invite the crowd to come to the dressing room afterwards and help them polish off a huge hamper of food. A soaring rendition of ‘DG’ later, and that’s what happens.
Tonight, two excellent bands played and reminded us that, not only can Alan McGee be forgiven for inflicting The Others upon decent people seeing as he did create, er, Creation Records and discover all manner of genius in the 80s and 90s, but also that bands don’t necessarily have to be taut, angular and in debt to Gang of Four to be any good in these dreary times. Tonight was about big sounds and big songs, albeit from two pretty different perspectives, and long may it continue.
DOE FACE LILLIAN
Camden Roundhouse, May 14th 08
This year, Scottish troupe Glasvegas have been steadily but surely making a name for themselves following endorsements from Alan McGee and the NME, at whose ceremony they won an award this year. Their beefy brand of Spector-influenced indiepop has been heard on two official releases, the glorious ‘It’s My Own Cheating Heart’ and the epic ‘Daddy’s Gone’, which was a far cry from the original, skiffle-punk demo. And tonight they headline the sold-out Roundhouse in Camden.
But first, we are greeted with the familiar sight of Doe Face Lillian. And if tonight’s set is anything to go by, it’s a sight that will become more familiar as time progresses.
With all three members onstage (programmer Magenta is on the audience’s right, vocalist/guitarist David is positioned audience left and bassist Rob moves maniacally in the middle), the aesthetic of the group is something to behold in a larger venue such as this, and they launch into their guttural noise punk with suitable aplomb.
Although much of their set is based around frenetic cacophonies of the most pleasing kind (think Mary Chain and Sonic Youth going head to head with The Horrors and even Placebo), the group really shine when playing slower, mid-paced material such as the crowd-pleasing ‘Vision’, a Cure-esque ballad with U2-esque guitars and a call-and-response chorus that sounds a bit like Ian Curtis interrupting a Bob Smith phonecall. Ian Curtis being Rob, of course, who takes lead vocals for the group’s other slow number, a song clearly indebted to the Mancunian miserablists but with added psych-noise guitar from David (his style veers between noise rock and shoegaze brilliantly throughout.) Having said that, they are a fast-paced outfit in spirit, and they finish up with David triggering all sorts of feedback-laden sounds and general noise from his guitar, amp and pedals, much to the crowd’s approval.
Glasvegas then appear before a crowd that seems to include a fair portion of people who’ve made it down from Scotland to see their band perform. Straight away, reverb-soaked guitars shimmy in and remind us of Creation heroes My Bloody Valentine and The House Of Love (proto-shoegaze legends who you can read more about this issue.) Vocalist James Allan’s singing gives the music a soulful and heartfelt feel, which is exactly what it is, as he croons wistful and often nostalgic lyrics in his native accent.
The Mo Tucker / Bobby Gillespie drums shouldn’t work with music that sounds this huge, but thankfully they do, as guitarist Rab manages to combine playing what are fairly intricate, sometimes Edge-esque lead lines, with throwing his guitar around his head. Bathed in red light, the four of them look awesome as the crowd sings along to every word of the songs, some of which haven’t even been released. And as for the songs, it seems that the group are poised to take an epic, shoegaze / 60’s Wall of Sound – inspired direction, possibly leaving behind the 50s / surf – influenced style that graced early versions, most notably the aforementioned ‘Daddy’s Gone.’
Finally, with six songs played and just one more to go, James announces the group’s intention to ‘piss off after this one’ and, rather sweetly, he does invite the crowd to come to the dressing room afterwards and help them polish off a huge hamper of food. A soaring rendition of ‘DG’ later, and that’s what happens.
Tonight, two excellent bands played and reminded us that, not only can Alan McGee be forgiven for inflicting The Others upon decent people seeing as he did create, er, Creation Records and discover all manner of genius in the 80s and 90s, but also that bands don’t necessarily have to be taut, angular and in debt to Gang of Four to be any good in these dreary times. Tonight was about big sounds and big songs, albeit from two pretty different perspectives, and long may it continue.
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