Three Trapped Tigers at XOYO

Three Trapped Tigers at XOYO

03 February, 2011
by: Gina Louise

Gina puts her foot in it...again

I’ve always had a soft spot for Three Trapped Tigers. I’m not sure whether it’s their carefully honed sound, their romantic name or that they were the first band that I ever reviewed, but something about them always makes me smile. Tonight, as they crash, all synths blazing, into their set at XOYO I realise that their place in my heart has been well-earned.

A year ago, they were a well-timed and reclusive trio that offered up intense industrial soundscapes to their fans, full of mellow pitfalls that choked you mid-song. It was a sound that was so meticulously executed that I couldn’t really fathom the group progressing in any way that wouldn’t render them slightly try-hard; yet here they are, playing an assumption-smashing set that's force-feeding me my words of doubt. They’ve laid their endearing naiveties to rest and are playing music that's incredibly progressive, with more layers of industrial sound than you could shake a spanner at. It’s turning into something intense and I’m glad to be back in the presence of the Tigers.

So it seems are my fellow Tiger fans – though you wouldn’t necessarily know it. As with most drone gigs in Shoreditch, appreciation tends to be shown by gentle swaying and the occasional nonchalant woop of admiration. But the audience’s deadpan approval doesn’t faze the fellas, as they tell me afterwards that any reaction is a good reaction. They start reeling off a myriad of past audience responses they’ve enjoyed, including (believe it or not) a mosh pit, and I see just how much making music that people enjoy means to them.

They play a roughly chronological gig, starting with a couple of oldies that don’t often come out of the woodwork, and run through their better known songs into a newcomer that I haven’t yet heard. Though still layered with electronic blips, synthy melodies and ethereal vocals, it's slightly different from the trademark Tiger tunes, and has a more playful acoustic vein running through it.

Later as we chat about the inclusion of vocals on their tracks, I'm impressed by the self-awareness of their music and the way it’s perceived. A friendly debate breaks out about the necessity of grounding your music with accessible vocals and the implications this has on music nowadays. (Note to self: probably best not to quote Ronan Keating’s heretic thoughts on the redundancy of music without lyrics when debating with actual musicians. It tends to be a little embarrassing.)

But embarrassment aside, I think an evening spent with the Tiger boys has made me love them a little bit more. After humbly admitting that only one of them has read the Guillermo Cabrera Infante book that their name was based on, I'm suddenly very aware that whilst they're flawless executioners of electronic drone, underneath they are pretty average guys.

Dom interviewed Three Trapped Tigers ages ago. Have a read if you fancy.

Gina Louise