Blonde Redhead at Shepherds Bush Empire

Blonde Redhead at Shepherds Bush Empire

21 July, 2008
by: Vegan

Sometimes you go to a show and the openers are painfully bad, you’re wishing for a fast-forward button on the performance. Thankfully going to see a Holy Fuck-Devastators-Blonde Redhead triple bill is absolutely nothing like that.

Each band could be the headliner; each band could play on and on, and even better is that they are three completely separate, unique bands. Well of course they are – what a silly observation, but think of most shows you see where each band is a slightly altered version of the same sound. Not so with this international smorgasbord of music.

First to take the stage we have the relatively unknown Holy Fuck, a brilliant little fledgling Canadian group that didn't even make it onto the flyers. Cramped into the front of the stage, with their old, shitty equipment, no one looking at anyone and no one looking at the audience, they've got a long way to becoming true performers. With minimalistic lighting and the drummer hidden behind two long equipment covered desks, there isn't much to see – apart from the bright pink, oversized sunglasses on the guitarists black t-shirt. They remind me of my brother's basement bands where (good or bad) everyone played for the love of playing. It's a nice feeling. And in a couple years I'd like to see them again when they're able to deliver the performance to match their music. The music is something else altogether. Matching heavy drums and guitar to synthesizers and electronically produced sounds, you're not sure if you should dance or bang your head and body slam into your neighbor. But you're going to wanna move. Thirty minutes too soon they shunt themselves off the stage with not a word spoken in hello or goodbye.

Melodic and sultry, Aussie-born Devastations moved to Europe a few years back and have been building up their sound and their fan base. Not the standard Australian band by far, they've benefited from their worldliness. The bass explodes in introduction, you can't help but sit up and take notice but unfortunately the sound system isn't doing justice to just how good this could be. They mellow out and stir in a little of the psychedelic. As with the previous band, the crowd is giving no love. Not because they're not enjoying the show, but because they appear to be image conscious beings, priding themselves on indifference.

Sadly the indifference carries over to Blonde Redhead's set and the crowd stands en masse, facing the stage and watching, waiting for it all to be over. That they stayed at all is the only indication that this was a pleasure and not a pain. When the Japanese beauty Kazu walks on stage with her kitten heeled white boots and her short white skirt, it makes a little more sense why the majority of concert go-ers are male. These guys rocked. People came out for these guys and Blonde Redhead did not disappoint. They brought energy and vibrancy to their music and their presence. Read an old review and people draw the lazy comparisons to Sonic Youth. Read this review and Blonde Redhead sound like no one but Blonde Redhead – a fabulous band coming into their own.

Vegan