Amidst the chaos and commotion this country has endured over the past month or so, I wanted to quickly summarise those shows which I was fortunate enough to catch before the shitstorm of Covid-19. Find below the various artists who indelibly performed their way through London during such quaint times.
Post Animal at The Shacklewell Arms, London
This delectably gratis show packed into the eastern corner of London came as a welcomed surprise off the back of some chilling months. If there was ever a need to warm up from the depths of some cold British months, it’d be a security-barren gig filled to the brim with avid fans of such a beloved, underground psych-rock band such as Post Animal.
Promoting their latest sophomore LP, Forward Motion Godyssey, the act may have slacked on their security measures, but certainly made up for in an hour-long set crammed with their modern concoction of brash garage rock with hypnotic psychedelics - much reminiscent to that of their juggernaut contemporaries Tame Impala. Finishing with a flurry of older tracks, the rampant levels of enticing grooves and funk-ridden riffs swelled against one another in an emphatic climax of sweaty, sonic euphoria.
7.5/10
Post Animal's latest LP, Forward Motion Godyssey, is out now and can be found here.
Photo is courtesy of Valentina Zou, whose work can be found here.
The Wants at The Lexington, London
Inspired by the ancient Krautrock movement of the past, The Wants at last emerged with their debut LP, Container, as well as an appearance at London’s Lexington to supply a dosage of their modernistic take on such bygone tropes. Also resemblant of the resurgent NYC art-rock resurgence over the past couple of decades, this trio displayed a myriad of brazen electronic syncopated rhythms underscoring frontman Madison Velding-VanDam’s distant vocals.
Reminiscent of such acts as Television, Neu!, and Kraftwerk, this band proved to be a welcomed addition to the today's art-rock scene emphatically conquering both sides of the Atlantic. Here’s to hoping their sheen of this nostalgic genre can be further elevated for many more years to come.
6.5/10
The Wants' debut LP, Container, is out now and can be found here.
Photo is courtesy of Jamie MacMillan, whose work can be found here.
Jpegmafia at EartH, London
On this third occasion of viewing the rapping masterclass of the receding-hairline-rapper Jpegmafia, Hackney’s audience came out in force to witness the ever-growing rise of this man. Journeying with him over the past couple of years, from the intimate 100 Club in London, to Manchester’s Parklife Festival, it ultimately culminated with his sold-out EU and UK tour promoting his appraised 3rd LP, All My Heroes Are Cornballs.
Gifting us with an eclectic mixture of DIY hip-hop, pop minimalism (think Ol' Dirty Bastard mixed with Charli XCX), and an auto-tuned version of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit ‘Call Me Maybe’, this show undeniably lived up to my preceding memories of this unique rapper’s capabilities on stage. Practically intertwined with his adored fans throughout tonight’s set, perhaps the most captivating moment came from the ceremonious shavings of fans’ heads as they reached that bit closer to their emboldened, bald-headed confidant Jpegmafia.
8/10
Jpegmafia's latest LP, All My Heroes Are Cornballs, is out now and can be found here.
Photo is courtesy of Shot and Styled, whose work can be found here.
Caroline Polachek at Heaven, London
For this final show before the panic stations was indefinitely taken on this Covid-19 outbreak, Caroline Polachek’s performance has proven to be a fond lasting memory amidst the doom and gloom of self-isolation. Synonymous with the ‘pang’ with our country’s current situation, Polachek’s 3rd LP entitled ‘Pang’ also injected a sharp hit of emotions into our bloodstreams before departing into the fray of our respective homely lives.
Whilst the instrumentation may have proven sparse and bare on stage, this was more than counterbalanced by the sheer depths and ranges of Polachek’s singing prowess - effortlessly soaring between various octaves and vocal ranges. Engulfed in this true-blue sold-out show at London’s stoic Heaven, Polachek’s art-pop wonders retrospectively proved to be the engagingly art-pop calm before the rather inevitable storm of Coronavirus.
7.5/10
Caroline Polachek's latest LP, Pang, is out now and can be found here.
Photo is courtesy of Linda Brindley, whose work can be found here.
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