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I'm really looking forward to seeing DS again, it's been a while since I saw them last and I'm promised 5 new songs and a surprise ending. Pity, however, that the p.a. system is woefully inefficient and badly placed, especially if yer standing front and centre. I try not to let this get in the way of the performance and soon I'm getting into the swing of it. They open with 'I Am The Sun' then go tumbling into a great, punch-drunk version of 'Vertigo'. What I notice most is how much Bic's vocals are improving; he's becoming less like a vocalist purely by default and more like a guitarist and singer. Most of 'Twenty-Twenty-Sound' gets played this evening, but it's the new material that makes the night for me. One of the first new ones they play, which I'm told is called 'Clicky', sounds like a P.I.L. style subverted disco beat tagged onto Joy Division via Jane's Addiction. It has that familiar Dark Star feeling where they drop into a long heavy section and it's like a trapdoor opens up underneath you. It's very, very good... Others follow in such a rush that it's hard to recall them, I remember one short, Can-like instrumental and another really heavy bass driven song that reminded me of Memories Can't Wait by Talking Heads or The Young Gods. Lastly they play 'The Sound Of Awake', for the second time ever. Lawrence sets up the repeat bass-loop and washes over it with waves of reverb-y tones. David's drums become hypnotic very quickly, building and falling with the ebb and flow of the song. Why they haven't played it before now is beyond me as it's a superb set closer. And then that's it, all over. The lights go up and I see many people I used to see going to Levitation gigs 7/8/9 years ago and more. But it feels like their only getting started, funny... Santa Dog This was the first time I had ever been to this venue, and I found I quite liked the place as the bar was outside the room, and the spiral stairs gave the sense of going somewhere, which was nice! My ratings system is based on looks at the watch - where zero is excellent, one is just checking you are getting a long enough a set, 2 looks is OK, 3 is restless and not so good, and 4 is why am I watching this band?? First up was My Vitriol, a band I think - and from what I've read, I'm not the only one - are going places. Top tunes and bristling with attitude, but quietly rather than screaming in your face. I like their tunes and this is despite not hearing any of them on the radio - YET! - and only seeing them live for the second time tonight. People from the press love to stick them with the "they are the new X" label, so I'll join in saying they remind me of a more tuneful Nirvana, especially as the singer's hairstyle makes him reminiscent of an Asian Kurt Cobain. A one look performance as I couldn't believe it when they finished, as it was a quite short set (25mins). Dark Star took the stage with their drum kit and mike stands illuminated with fairy lights, but this was the only soft touch. They crashed into the set with 'I Am the Sun', which I thought they would end with to be honest, as it's a fave of a lot of the crowd. During 'Vertigo', the bass player Laurence O'Keefe manages a great impression of turntable scratching, by rubbing the strings of his bass. And he is a damn fine bass player anyway - despite bearing an uncanny resemblance to Neil Pierson (Dave from Drop the Dead Donkey). Christian Hayes sings in almost a split personality way, holding duets with himself as he uses 2 different microphones. Impressive stuff. 'About 3am,' comes swooning along, and then the awesome 'Gracedelica' with its fantastic bassline. However, the end of the set goes a bit samey I'm afraid, and I found myself sneaking a look at the watch - and even more so at the gorgeous young woman standing in front of me, who had an amazing lack of rhythm that had to be seen to be believed. Almost left at the encore (why DO bands still do this) to catch the train. Worth seeing again though. DaveM |