SWMRS, Destroy Boys - Institute - Mar 11, 2019

SWMRS have carved out a niche for themselves in the under-18 crowd. A strong mixed-sex crowd showed up downstairs at the Institute (some lugging their parents along to stand, roped-off, at the back). From the get-go these four fellas had the crowd eating out of their hands, despite the somewhat straightforward banter although I did like after an individual cheer for each of the openers they said "and now the most important cheer... for your moms!" It was good clean fun with a giant swell of a pit going for pretty much the entire night that cleared those of us not feeling as into it to the sidelines or back beside the sound booth while the rest moshed about. Picking from only two albums the hour long set-list consisted of pretty much everything, though my favourite moment was probably the Bloc Party cover of Helicopter that really proved their chops to me in how tight they were. Earlier in the set they were not very impressive musically but it may have just been the sound, with the vocals lost deep in the mix. For the most part it was upbeat and rocking, new tracks including the title from last month's Berkeley's On Fire hit their mark, though they did mix in their brooding Miley Cyrus loving tune later on, and the chilled first album closer, Lose It. I won't pretend to know all their songs but they probably hit their high point on the third from last when I expected them to call it. Seeing as they didn't encore I could pretend that this was their set closer and the next two which didn't match quite the intensity were the encore. All in all they were pretty good but I may just leave them for the kids next time and stay home with the record.

Zuzu definitely pushed the punk out of the room with some more straightforward songs. I'm not even sure how to classify it as despite her decent vocals the music was rather blasé. Her speaking voice on the other hand.. I couldn't make sense of it. She claims to be from Liverpool but that didn't sound like any Scouse I've heard before. Is she putting it on? Am I that sheltered? 

Destroy Boys are a bunch of girls out to destroy the male dominated punk rock world. Maybe not destroy it but show that they definitely deserve their own place in it. Every one of them demonstrated their way around their instrument and as a whole they write a solid rock song. With long hair and tees they played their way through an entirely too short set and had the kids in the audience moshing along (not that this was too hard, but still). I'd keep an eye out as they seem like their just at the start of a fruitful career.

Big Character were up first once we got through the queue of teenagers out on the sidewalk. There was very little to set these guys apart from much of anything else.

Art Brut - Hare and Hounds - Feb 15, 2019

Art Brut

I knew it was going to be a good set when they opened with Formed a Band which to me is their signature sound even over a decade later. By song two Eddie Argos was already off on a tangent with a meandering story about being in the Van Gogh (which he repeatedly pronounced Van Goff, and as he is reportedly a big fan perhaps we're all saying it wrong?) museum in Amsterdam that ended with him licking a painting and being escorted from the premises through a security exit. Throughout the telling of the story he had to repeatedly ask for "Softer, Art Brut!" and I found it endearing that he referred to his band by their name all night. The story truly ended with My Little Brother which reassured me after the five minute banter after only song one that it would still be a good show. Perhaps their timing will improve as this was the kickoff show of the tour and judging by Eddie's verbosity he was obviously excited to be back out on the road. Some of these ramblings spoke of chats with his mother trying to convince them to get the new album out because 'yelling music' is back in. "'Have you heard Sleaford Mods?' Yeah, Ma. I've heard Sleaford Mods. 'Have you heard Idles?' Yes, Ma. I love Idles."

Following this they broke out a couple from the new, refreshingly strong album, Wham! Bam! Pow! Let's Rock Out! including She Kissed Me (and it felt like a hit) and I Hope You're Very Happy Together, and far as I was concerned their bases were now covered. It carried on with good humour and good music that entertained all, even my non-familiar, non-gig-going mate. Partway through Eddie asked the crowd for suggestions and once he heard what he was waiting for he said "Put away your setlists, Art Brut, we're gonna do Emily Kane!" At which point a cheeky audience member shouted out "Get over it!" much to everyone's amusement. After a few others from the inner albums that weren't too familiar to me but still sounded alright we came towards an end. With an early Friday night curfew they were aware of the time and forwent their finale for an 8-minute rendition of Modern Art that saw Eddie out in the crowd telling stories and getting laughs. Everyone seemed to be beaming on the way out as a band very much known for its yesteryear had put on a very good time today.

Luke Wright
Luke Wright burst onto the stage with energy and enthusiasm, quick to get things underway before he lost the crowd. Nearly apologising for being a spoken word artist at a music gig his wit and self-deprecating humour shone through but it was the poetry that really hit home. Modern, political (left), British and sharp he hit on the modern experience with jabs that came so quick that people were silent and straining to pick up on each one. A take-down of a British celebrity that I'm unaware of that utilised only one vowel throughout the entire piece was as ridiculous and impressive as that concept sounds. Luke confided that he had tried to open for Art Brut many years earlier and had been bottled off the stage but on this evening with perhaps a more mature crowd he had us rapt.

Exotic Pets
A local three-piece, Exotic Pets played some rocking indie music. It was rather straightforward but that wasn't a bad thing. The finale changed pace slightly but they still did not stray into overly memorable material.