Incredibly boring to watch, traipsing out formulaic, tired-old music. Oh and they don't have the singer's dad playing on the stage with them.
None of the above is true of course, but sometimes it's nice to write something that isn't in every other live review of a band! Yes, they are the eccentric bunch from Eel-Pie Island creating unique-sounding music that draws on influences almost to numerous to mention. They create free-wheeling tunes that appear to take Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody as gospel for song-writing structures.
Tonight's crowd are predominantly made up of young art-school rockers, quirky geek-chic types- and the fan base built up from numerous support slots are in strong show tonight. A reminisce of the last time they were here (supporting Bloc Party) raises a loud cheer.
The RIVAL JOUSTAS open and nearly steal the show- with punk stage-owning antics, contorting rock shapes, Sideshow Bob hair and sweaty naked torsos - only the unfocused music lets them down. LUDES continue whipping up the crowd into a frenzy with elements of Iggy Pop, The Undertones, and Madness all in one big melting pot. When Santa crowd surfs onto the stage and the band lead the crowd in a song of "We wish you a Merry Christmas" you wonder if the main act will seem tame by comparison.
MYSTERY JETS do not disappoint though. And all the quirkiness aside (Syd Barrett portrait in a life-ring, home-made drum-kit, the old guy on stage etc.) it is a musically intriguing show. They defy genre- launching from frosty chords to psychecdilic wig-out in the blink of an eye. There are punky angular, riffs and sweeping sounds-capes, barbershop harmonies and shouty singalongs. What holds it all together though is the rock-solid rhythm section- and though it's very rare you feel compelled to write about the bass player of a band- Kai Fish deserves more than a passing mention.
|
While Blaine Harrison sits at his percussion kit banging out syncopated rhythms over the semi-dance influenced beats of drummer Kavil Triveti. It is Fish that stands out- working the crowd whilst driving every song along so effectively it underpins and solidifies the multiple textures being worked out by the others. He even climbs to the top of his bass rig- as if not to be out-rocked by the support band and later carries guitarist and backing vocalist Will Rees round on his shoulders- all whilst still thumping away.
Though often bizarre- it is a massively entertaining night. When the between-song banter threatens to get long and boring - Henry "Dad" Harrison simply steps in to introduce crowd-rocker "The Boy who ran away" and the band do as they are told. When the final song of the short set is introduced as a song about a transsexual (Latest single "Alas Agnes- containing the line "Oh Agnes I still adore you") it seems about right.
The Rival Joustas join them on stage for the final number with yet more percussion, to indulge in yet more mayhem. One hanger-on dances Bez-like around the stage with a Stella Box on his head complete with marker-drawn face. It looks like Blaine might even wet himself laughing.
By the time the encore has finished and Triveti has thrown himself into the crowd you wonder how you're ever going to explain it to anyone else...
|
