Local shouty lo-fi punk duo Fawn Spots impressed me a couple of weeks back, and so I was more than happy to watch them again as the warm-up for tonight’s shouty lo-fi visitors from out of town. Judging by the support they’d brought with them, I wasn’t alone. During a suitably chaotic set which saw not one, but two bottom ‘E’ strings snap before the guitarist from Dignan Porch bravely offered up his guitar, they managed to blast through their paired-down bursts of sonic energy to emerge somewhat battered but nevertheless triumphant.
London five-piece Dignan Porch took things up a notch with a sound that’s very much rooted in 90s US indie rock, with a large hint of Pavement in the mix. It’s by no means a bad thing. The keyboards provide a poppy edge that counters the big, grungy guitars, and with some songs lasting less than a minute, they’re able to pack a fair few tracks into their half-hour slot. This is good news, because they’re just great to watch and great to listen to: they’ve got songs. Hooks, choruses, and slackery guitar solos.
Times New Viking, a power trio based around the unusual set-up of drums, guitar and keyboards, have developed a reputation for being quite a live act, and having missed their last two York shows, I wasn’t going to make it a hat-trick. From the off, it’s clear that they’re all about the party vibe. They’ve every reason to be: they clearly enjoy what they do, and do it because they enjoy it. They’re also touring their brand new album and appear to be making headway in Britain, and played a live session for Marc Riley on 6 Music just a few days ago.
They’re also all about the noise. It’s a simple trick: pop-infused indie punk, played at such a volume it hits like a runaway train. Fulled by booze. Lots of booze. The band are on beer, before two-thirds of the way through the set, singing drummer Adam Elliot – but certainly does nothing to invite Phil Collins comparisons, thankfully) – digs out the remains of a bottle of Jim Beam.
|
They’re all about the interaction, too. After all, it’s hardly a party if the audience aren’t involved. The tambourine is tossed into the audience, and is circulated, with people taking turns to provide additional percussion from the floor. Then there’s the moshing. It starts with a grooving granny getting down (the demographic is quite surprising), and before long, a large chunk of the crowd are bouncing all over the place, and although I get the distinct impression that a fair few of them are pretty beered up, it all adds to the party atmosphere.
When Elliot announces ‘five more songs’, I have to admit I’m starting to flag due to the sheer relentlessness of the racket. Still, the band and the first three rows are just peaking and they power their way through to the end of the set. There’s no encore. Yes, less is more – apart from where volume is concerned, of course.
Times New Viking Online
Dignan Porch on MySpace
Fawn Spots Online
|
