I put down the acute tinnitus that I suffer from to a Part Chimp gig that I attended a few years back at The Social when it was still called The Social. That night they sounded like they had jet plane engines for amps, as this wall of ferocious noise was blasted at the audience. I woke up the morning after with my ears ringing, and they are still ringing now. I had put it down to the fact that it was a small venue, but when I saw them for a second time at the Gringo Records 10th Anniversary I realised that it wasn’t the size of the venue making them sound so loud, it's as if they just enjoy playing with the ferociousness of a volcano erupting.
So with earplugs firmly tucked away in my back pocket ready for later on, I made my way to Floodit 03 – a night of music and screen printing which is a collaboration between Gringo Records and Wasteyourself at The Art Organisation. With the stage against the back wall, and down the right hand side of the room a row of local artists ready to screen print posters and tshirts with their own personal designs for a small fee. This mix of art and music gave the packed room an animated and energetic vibe, with the feeling that something was always happening.
Unfortunately, I miss Guilty Partners who are the first band on tonight as I get to the venue just as their set is finishing. But the place is already pretty packed, so I presume they must have got a good turn out despite being the first band on. A promising sign.
I do catch Bad Guys who rock hard with a mixture of crunching riffery that channelled the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the type of gravelly, incoherent singing you sometimes hear on Sepultura records. The band also find the stage limiting and often jump in to the audience or climb on top of the backline during their set. It all makes for an entertaining show, and a special mention must go to the guitarists tight gold trousers – only the bravest of souls would don them!
Souvaris plough a post-rock furrow similar to that of Explosions In The Sky or Mogwai, where a sweeping mix of guitars, drums, and keyboards overlap interplaying melodies, until each track builds up in to a huge crescendo that lifts the audience, as if the music itself is able to pick you up and throw you in to the night sky, before landing you gently back on your feet. They’ve been going for nearly ten years and just seem to get better with every gig. Tonight they were extra special.
With earplugs firmly in place and positioned so I’m not directly in front of the impressive sounding PA, I get ready for the heavy grunge assault of Part Chimp. Despite having a new record out (‘Thriller’, Rock Action Records) they play a set that mixes up the new with the old, although each song still brings a megaton of heavy dense guitars as if they are dropping nuclear bombs. Imagine if Thor the god of thunder was the musical director of Mudhoney, and you are somewhere close to the Part Chimp experience.
It’s a terrific way to end was has been a fun night, which is what going out should be - Fun. I look forward to Floodit 04. See you there.
Floodit 03 with Part Chimp, Souvaris, Bad Guys and Guilty Partners was at The Art Organisation on Saturday 26 September 2009.
Gringo Records website
Wasteyourself website
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