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| Cantaloupe live at The Chameleon - Photo by Chez Wood |
It’s Saturday night and a rare treat for Nottingham gig-goers. Having gone in to hibernation recently, legendary Nottingham DIY promoters Damn You! have come out of hiding to put on Picore from Spain flanked by a selection of the finest local noise making talent.
Made up of 3/5’s of Nottingham post-rock types Souvaris, Cantaloupe are an all together if not completely dissimilar proposition to their paternal band. This is their first gig and even though nerves are visible they needn’t have been as the band play with a style and class that belies their lack of public outings; although, it probably helps that all three are used to playing together already.
From the off the band treated the assembled throng to a journey through synth led electro excursions that wore its krautrock influences proudly on its sleeve; from the repetitive motorik rhythms through to the lush swathes of keys, it’s all here. But the music also embraces colourful pop with its almost euro-pop sensibilities in places. Like Stereolab speeding down the Autobahn with their sights set on reaching the African continent.
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| Fresh Eyes For The Dead Guy live at The Chameleon - Photo by Chez Wood |
Local noise-inks Fresh Eyes For The Dead Guy are an all together different proposition. The band play with their tops off, which may be due to the furnace like heat in the venue or a cheeky ironic nudge and a wink to the over the top exuberance of stadia juggernauts Biffy Clyro, with whom the earlier version FEFTDG share a couple of strands of DNA - but that’s where the similarities end, these are a much more heavier and raucous proposition. With a sound that could strip paint and enough energy between them to power a small city, they create the perfect storm of noise, music and melody that is relentless from beginning to end.
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| Picore live at The Chameleon - Photo by Chez Wood |
Hardcore types Picore hail all the way from Zaragoza and are the reason why everyone is here tonight. From the oft, their buzzsaw, rusty guitar sound relentlessly pounds away almost as if it’s physically trying to bury itself inside you psyche. It’s the repetitive nature of their music, along with the eardrum bursting volume of which they play at, that makes this music to lose yourself in. This constant throbbing of drums, guitars and murky, almost spoken word delivery of the vocals makes watching Picore a hypnotic experience. It’s an explosion of sound that is both caustic and oddly bewitching.
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| Wander Phantom live at The Chameleon - Photo by Chez Wood |
Although they are a tough act to follow, Wander Phantom step up to the mantle and deliver a performance brimming with vitriol. With a singer channeling the ghost of Nick Cave past and two bass players sounding like Peter Hook taking part in the blitzkrieg, the band make sure that the post-Picore come down is as dark and brooding as it should be.
Wanter Phantom, Picore, Fresh Eyes For The Dead Guy and Cantaloupe played at The Chameleon on Friday 16 September 2011.
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