Third
of 3 in 5 days bucked this recent trend of 80’s favourites with a new band – Oslo,
Norway’s The Spielbergs. Another that I owe John Robb’s “Louder Than War”
publication for, an interesting review earlier this year led to my checking out
some of their stuff on YouTube, then picking up their debut “This Is Not The
End” CD, which quickly became one of my favourites this year, replete with
powerful grungy guitar, occasional urgent frantic pace and some strained, high
pitched Mac-from-Superchunk-alike vocals as it is. As if Seafood or …Trail Of
Dead had a raucous knock-down, drag-out fight with Manchester Orchestra or
first-album Nothing, perhaps, but either way a splendid noisy listen, and a promising
prospect “live” in a small venue like Bristol Louisiana!
So,
off I did trot, skirting around the building site that Temple Meads seems to
interminably pass for, grabbing the last street parking slot outside the Louie
and popping in just after 8. Missed openers Lessons, therefore, but I popped up
to the sparsely attended upstairs venue, saying “hey” to the ubiquitous Jeff,
then checking out next band up, The Belishas, on at 8.30. Their opener (imaginatively
title “Opener” on their set-list!) kicked off like Gaslight Anthem doing a
cover of Titus Andronicus’ sprawling epic “The Battle Of Hampton Roads”, all layered
and seething anthemic guitar, before diverting into a full-on punk rock assault.
Vocalist Ewan, sporting a hideous brown suit a clear 3 sizes too big (!), nonetheless
had the style and swagger of a young Pete Doherty, hopefully with more
substance and without the drug and reliability issues (!). An early “Dorian
Gray” (introduced as, “for your favourite narcissist!”) was a fast-paced 90’s
indie rock pop blast redolent of Annie Christian (to these ancient ears, at
least) with other numbers mining a similar dissonant and menacing seam to the
zeitgeisty Fontaines DC and Murder Capital, and a couple of mid-set ones feeling
looser-limbed and harmonically Britpoppy. All in all, however, a cracking set,
with the bolshy recent single “Chlorine Maureen” (excellent title!) and next
single “Foreign Policy” late highlights. Great openers; Ewan had introduced
most numbers with, “this is [Song X], please enjoy…” and I did indeed, no
messin’!
Some
brief compliments with a moist Ewan afterwards (I always appreciate a man who sweats
profusely for his art, me) and a break before the main event. The Spielbergs
took the stage to a smattering of curious folk at 9.30, easing into the
laze-rock Teenage Fanclub-like groove of opener “Five On It”. Initially
following the album’s running order, next up was my favourite cut from said record,
the irresistibly hooky “Distant Star”, by which time I was shaking a leg down
the front and singing the “we could be… PERFECT!” hook back to the impressively
maned vocalist Mads. The sound was initially a little thin on guitar, however, but
the hooks and the band’s effervescent attitude still carried them through. “We
had a day off in Bristol today,” remarked Mads; “great food, went bowling, got
fucked up!”
As
a thankfully fuller guitar sound kicked in, the jagged guitar lines and
backwards drumming of “Bad Friend” recalled Biffy Clyro, no less, with “NFL”
proving this band aren’t one trick ponies with some absorbingly morose, slower
burn shoegaze, which then built to a faster crescendo. “4AM” was once again
hooky heavy powerpop, making this old guy think of Redd Kross or even El Nino,
and a swift 45 minutes set was concluded with a frantic, Seafood-like “We Are
All Going To Die”, all angular and drum propelled, with a thrillingly noisy and
lengthy climax. Fine stuff indeed!
Doorstepped
drummer Christian for a set-list afterwards (they didn’t use one – all in their
heads!), thence enjoying a nice chat with the man about the road, where to
holiday in Norway (the train from Oslo to Bergan was his recommendation) and
Norwegian football, Jan Aage Fjortoft inevitably cropping up in the conversation!
Grabbed a mad pic with his bandmates, sat outside, on my way out, then a swift
drive home for just after 11, after a fine showing from not 1, but 2 promising
bands!
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