Issue 53 / March 2015

foppish palm tree swaying left of stage while
effortlessly controlling the tempo in harness
with drummer Dom Boyce. Sam's moment
in the sun arrives during the breakdown
of incendiary closer World Pleasure, where
his bass solo comes amid a clumsy stage
invasion.
Peace may ultimately sound like an
amalgamation of all of our favourite 90s
bands – a dash of Suede, a dollop of Mansun,
a heavy slice of Blur – but if, as this ecstatic
crowd suggests, they're destined to be at
the forefront of British rock for the next few
years, they have enough about them to make
it interesting.
Maurice Stewart /
theviewfromthebooth.tumblr.com
Your Bag?
Catch Glass Animals @ The
Kazimier on 13th March
equipment are ironed out, the quintet’s wintry
missives hit the spot. With recent EP Ruins
brilliantly capturing the band’s trademark
approach of being poised at the exact point
between defeatism and optimism, their
elegiac minor-key synth pop translates well
to the stage through spacious arrangements.
Lyrically well suited to the present season
of lonely, rain-lashed pavements and street
lamps reflected in gutters, the deep pop
of Realise successfully pulls off the same
sighing ennui live as on record. Two promising
new cuts make their debut appearance here
too: Hotel pulses with a more pronounced
electronic feel than previous material, while
accompanying flipside Home maintains
the five-piece’s fondness for a deep-rooted
melody. With the EP and single formats now
mastered meanwhile, the appearance of
the quintet’s debut LP on the horizon will
hopefully be imminent.
Richard Lewis
TEAR TALK
Death at Sea – Kingsley
Chapman & The Murder
War Room Records @ Scandinavian Church
In the purple-lit glow of the Scandinavian
Church, KINGSLEY CHAPMAN & THE MURDER
are brilliantly well suited to delivering a series
of confessionals, albeit at ear-shredding
volume. This outfit sees the erstwhile
frontman of The Chapman Family move into
more grandiose territory than the seething
indie rock his previous underrated band
specialised in. Opening with a vast, theatrical
piece that almost touches ten minutes, the
melodramatic flourishes hinted at by TCF are
given full reign here. Bringing greater focus
to the singer’s surprisingly effective baritone
croon, the dark night of the soul lyrics are
well matched by the gothic melodrama of
the music. Draped with see-sawing violin
accompaniments, the new material has more
than a hint of Nick Cave’s doomy narratives
about them; impressive stuff for a band yet to
commit anything to record.
Taking to the stage to the strains of indie
disco classic Rip It Up (And Start Again), DEATH
AT SEA to some considerable relief have done
nothing of the sort. Continuing to explore the
rich seam of US indie rock that prospered in
the early nineties, the quartet’s alternately
tight/loose, sloppy/well-drilled sound is in fine
fettle, despite their long absence from the gig
circuit. Sea Foam Green, the track that first got
them noticed back in (gulp) early 2012, opens
proceedings. With Drag sounding predictably
wonderful as ever alongside the A and B sides
of last year’s excellent Glimmer b/w Shy Kids
single, we have positive proof that Death At
Sea are on robustly assured form.
With the congregation at full capacity come
10 pm, TEAR TALK take up position underneath
the stained-glass windows. Unfortunately
beset by technical gremlins at the top of their
set, once the problems with recalcitrant sound
Your Bag?
Catch Rhodes @ Arts Club
on 3rd March
SLIMKID3 & DJ NUMARK
Parkertron – No Fakin’ DJs
Bam!Bam!Bam! @ 24 Kitchen St
One thing about the Baltic Triangle is
that you never quite know what to expect.
The area is testament to the fact that, quite
often, not everything is as it seems. Down
an unassuming narrow entry and through
the doors of a badly aged building lies 24
Kitchen St, one of the best new venues
in the city. It has a raw appearance and a
vibrant atmosphere, the perfect setting for an
evening of pure hip hop.
NO FAKIN’ DJs underpin the night and build
solid foundations much like those steadying
this old warehouse. Old school hip hop and
soul sounds are the main ingredients in this
potent mix and before long every head in the
room is nodding. If this set is in any way telling
of how the rest of the night’s performances
will sound then, by midnight, we may have
some neck injuries on our hands.
Up walks PARKERTRON onto the stage.
The Fingathing DJ, in a rare solo set, gives
us a demonstration of his skills on the MPC
and turntables. There are disparate styles
in the mix, with trip hop and contemporary
electronica entering the fray. All of the room
is captivated by Parkertron’s mixing style and
eclectic sample palette which makes one
wonder whether he’s taken inspiration from
DJ Abilities or DJ Downlow. His talent with the
MPC is immense and a solo attracts every pair
of eyes and ears in the room. The set is full of
raw energy and originality, with Parkertron a
perfect fit for tonight’s bill.
It may be easy to forget just how influential
SLIMKID3 and DJ NUMARK have been in the