LIVE: Anxieteam

Jim Avignon and Jon Burgerman, both internationally renowned artists in their own rights, have decided to put down the pens and paintbrushes for a bit and team up to start making some music.

The evening started with support from the intricate and rhythmic guitar of Matthew Stephen Cooper, who surprised the crowd with his strong, growling voice and dark, bluesy tones. During the break between sets I chowed down on an Anxieteam-themed cupcake from Star Bakery, and I also snuck over to buy a copy of the single - a glorious vinyl double A-side picture disc, both sides lovingly designed by Jon and Jim themselves. 

Before they started, the two of them went around the crowd handing out hand-drawn balloons, which they made “just in case nobody showed up, so we could still have an audience”. Thankfully, the turnout was super and things just got better from there. With Burgerman tackling vocals and ukulele and Avignon on electronics (read: everything else), Anxieteam created charming and wry songs full of lyrics with far more meaning that you first realise, simple uke strummings, bleeps, bloops and ridiculously infectious synthy pop beats.

 

With themes ranging from how there are too many people in the world (and not enough pigeons), how to pronounce the band’s name, through to how lonely it can be in the digital world of the ‘net and computer games (but still, you do get to shoot zombies) and how awesome it is to be a veggie, there’s no telling what stories you’re going to be told through Burgerman’s half-talking, half-singing, always dry and hilarious delivery. And of course, these guys being artists, every song had a unique video or backdrop to compliment it, which made for a great immersive effect as well as some amusing technical hitches. 

 In their own words, Anxieteam “talk about the very big in terms of the very small”, and that’s just what came across as they jumped about the stage, dancing with broken umbrellas and donning angry Pac Man masks. The whimsical, lighthearted nature of their shows masks a deeper level to the whole endeavour - you get the feeling that they just want to make the world a little better in whatever way they can, and if that means singing about soya and video games, well then so be it. It certainly made me happy!