The first support act up was electronic trance artist Rival Consoles with synths galore and thudding bass lines reminiscent of 90’s dance music, drawing influence from the likes of Paul Van Dyk and Paul Oakenfold. The songs sounded like playing a game of retro pac-man, and at 6:30 on a Thursday evening in April, it’s not surprising that the audience didn’t really respond to the euphoric uplifting beats that ‘Rival Consoles’ was trying to lay down. The music was definitely more Ibiza than Islington.
Next to take to the stage was London 5-Piece alternative pop rockers Hello Mexico with definite similarities to Kids in glass houses and Young Guns, these guys played well together, knocking out tuneful, pleasant easy listening rock with a light airy feel good factor. At times they were bordering on looking like a cheesy boy-band and lead singer Myles Pereira had some annoying hair flicking / hand raising gestures that looked like something straight out of BRIT School. They played a cover of Slipknot’s ‘Duality’ which could have been a disaster but they managed to pull it off nicely. Their set seemed well received by the audience and with only a couple of EPs to their name so far, once their debut album is released I think we’ll be hearing a fair bit more from these guys.
By the time the headliners This will destroy you came on the room was packed, the audience seemed like a mixed bag with everything from beanie hat, plaid shirt sporting youngsters to middle aged rockers with long hair and biker jackets.
The band is an entirely instrumental project, hailing all the way from Texas. They played lengthy atmospheric music using minimal notes with plenty of reverb and distortion. ‘Little Smoke’ stood out to me because the soporific and drowsy introduction was unexpectedly injected with a shot of adrenaline that quickened the pace and led into a crescendo of brutal drums as the song reached its climax. For me songs like ‘Glass realms’ dragged on a little too long with its lingering and somewhat droning sustained chords.
The music was good, but the most notable thing about this band for me, was the lack of interaction with the audience. They didn’t speak from start to finish. No introductions, in between song banter and even when they were applauded back for an encore they barely grunted out a thank you. The audience seemed otiose or as if we were gate crashing a private rehearsal (Probably the rehearsal where the vocalist called in sick judging by the looks on their faces) they just didn’t seem to be enjoying themselves.
It was clear that all the bands had talent but none of them blew me away. In the right setting I can imagine they’d be good but this wasn’t it.
Eleanor Knight
