Preoccupations only support act was the enigmatic Joyfultalk (6/10). A pair of scruffy looking hipsters with keyboards covered in wires. Their set began with a minimalist set of improvised experimental electronica. With an uncanny valley inducing backdrop of shadowy moving objects projected onto a circle behind them. The music adding to the uneasy mood and gradually building in intensity as the bass rattled the room and straight into the oesophagus of anyone that happened to be in their proximity. The initially mesmerising sounds of Joyfultalk gained intensity and speed and continued to do so as the set gave way to 45 minutes of punishing experimental techno that proved a little bit too much for many of the punters. Annoyingly Joyfultalk overran by a good 15 minutes delaying Preoccupations. Thankfully Preoccupations (8) were more than worth the wait. First off it's worth remembering how lucky Birmingham was to be hosting Preoccupations in the first place. This is a band whose members survived a horrible car crash while touring in the band Women. Who faced boycotts after people took offence at their previous moniker (Vietcong), and most recently had al their gear stolen from the back of their van. Judging by their show at the Hare and Hounds this has only served to make them stronger. The bands records don't do justice to how fantastic they sound live. Mike Wallace's powerhouse drumming and Matt Flegel's formidable growl alone make the band a force to behold. Proccupations' found time to explore their songs rather than simply replicating what is already on record so that seeing the band live is a unique experience. Opening with Vietcong era drones 'select your drone' and 'continental shelf ' and quickly moving into the jagged post punk of 'dissarray' and 'zodiac'. Preoccupations wre able to show off their diversity by mixing up their punk tracks and whipping the crowd up into a frenzy yet also playing longer quieter pieces such as 'memory' during which you could probably hear a pin drop during the minimalist drone outro. Preoccupations made little interaction with their crowd, keeping a cold distance while shrouded in blue light, yet when the music and the performance of it was this great you could ask for little more. I'd waited 5 years to see this band and I'm so glad I've finally seen them.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Preoccupations + Joyfultalk Live At The Hare and Hounds. Review (16/7/18)
Preoccupations only support act was the enigmatic Joyfultalk (6/10). A pair of scruffy looking hipsters with keyboards covered in wires. Their set began with a minimalist set of improvised experimental electronica. With an uncanny valley inducing backdrop of shadowy moving objects projected onto a circle behind them. The music adding to the uneasy mood and gradually building in intensity as the bass rattled the room and straight into the oesophagus of anyone that happened to be in their proximity. The initially mesmerising sounds of Joyfultalk gained intensity and speed and continued to do so as the set gave way to 45 minutes of punishing experimental techno that proved a little bit too much for many of the punters. Annoyingly Joyfultalk overran by a good 15 minutes delaying Preoccupations. Thankfully Preoccupations (8) were more than worth the wait. First off it's worth remembering how lucky Birmingham was to be hosting Preoccupations in the first place. This is a band whose members survived a horrible car crash while touring in the band Women. Who faced boycotts after people took offence at their previous moniker (Vietcong), and most recently had al their gear stolen from the back of their van. Judging by their show at the Hare and Hounds this has only served to make them stronger. The bands records don't do justice to how fantastic they sound live. Mike Wallace's powerhouse drumming and Matt Flegel's formidable growl alone make the band a force to behold. Proccupations' found time to explore their songs rather than simply replicating what is already on record so that seeing the band live is a unique experience. Opening with Vietcong era drones 'select your drone' and 'continental shelf ' and quickly moving into the jagged post punk of 'dissarray' and 'zodiac'. Preoccupations wre able to show off their diversity by mixing up their punk tracks and whipping the crowd up into a frenzy yet also playing longer quieter pieces such as 'memory' during which you could probably hear a pin drop during the minimalist drone outro. Preoccupations made little interaction with their crowd, keeping a cold distance while shrouded in blue light, yet when the music and the performance of it was this great you could ask for little more. I'd waited 5 years to see this band and I'm so glad I've finally seen them.
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