LIVE: Anxieteam

17/01/2012

It might be a cold, dark and uninviting January evening outside, but upstairs at the Hand and Heart it is anything less than warm, cosy and cordial as Hello Thor get ready to host a rare set by Anxieteam. Review: Paul Klotschkow

Anxieteam live at the Hand and Heart - Photo by Eric Manchester

A musical collaboration between two world renowned visual artists in Jim Avignon and Nottingham’s (although now living in Brooklyn) very own Jon Burgerman. This is Anxieteam’s second and final night of a very short tour, with the only other date being London last night, to promote the release of their I Think I Miss You EP.

Before the band take to the stage area, an illustrated backdrop featuring off-kilter animal creations hints at the band members full time occupations. Jim already has previous when it comes to making music having been ensconced in the Berlin Techno scene, but this is Jon’s first public foray in to the world of music making, and it’s probably fair to say that they wont be relying on Anxieteam to be their main source of income.

With Jon on vocals and strumming away on a ukulele, whilst Jim grapples with the blips and bleeps, when they perform there’s a general air ‘I can’t believe we are getting away with this.’
Although, this sounds like I’m undermining the songs, I’m not. The songs, a combination of twee-pop and folktronica, exude a charm and warmth and are reeled off with such glint-in-the-eye glee, that they can’t help but spread smiles around the room.

Subject matter ranges from girls who try and be all pleasant when they drink in tea shops through to soya based products and dating etiquette in New York. The band clearly just want to entertain, and during Lonely In The Digital World they don Mario and Mushroom masks and act out a mock chase scene; whilst Let’s Eat Soya sees a couple of audience members invited down to the front to dance along to the song wearing soya milk carton masks.

The audience participation doesn’t stop there. Or the masks. During one section of the show, Jim and Jon select two girls and draw their portraits on to masks (natch). When the band are called back on to play an encore, they initially refuse to perform unless they can have people dancing down at the front with them. Fortunately their demands are met and Anxieteam end their set with Bushwick surrounded by a bunch of Nottingham’s ‘finest’ dancers. A fun and silly way to end, perfectly encapsulating Anxieteam’s world view.

Anxieteam played at the Hand and Heart on Sunday 15 January 2012.

I Think I Miss You EP is available to buy now from Hello Thor.

Anxieteam website