A Certain Reformatio...

The tangible excitement whipped up by Devo after last nights show at the Forum (See post below) meant their surrealist-cum-mad scientist-evolutionary-escapism fell bang in line with a band of post-punk brothers that have returned to stages of late.

With as much guise, poise and essentiality as their younger legs yielded, Devo's Triumphal execution of 'Are we not men...' draws heartening comparisons to the recent Ether theatrics of Byrne and Eno, the brute recrudesce of Wire and Magazines cyclopean resurrection.

In comparison, the stagnant and bloated cash-cow comebacks of the Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin and The Who make the live re-emergence of Devo and Co look like the second coming. Whether it's their art school upbringing or DIY ethics it's evident Mark Mothersbaugh, Brian Eno, David Byrne, Howard Deveto and Colin Newman have lost not a smidgen of integrity or significance. John Lydon however promotes butter.

Next week we have the promise of Gang of Four's seaside soiree to look forward too as well as scheduled shows for The Slits and A Certain Ratio this summer. Keep your peepers peeled to Isthereanything for all the latest updates.

1000 Robota. Hoxton Sq

When a bare chested Joe Lean of Jing Jang Jong fame and a wide-eyed Babyshamble pull shapes in amongst us mere mortals you’d expect even the most star-studded show to be stolen.
Tonight however, deep in the hub of scenester depravity all the Jagger-jiggery and inabition abandonment in the world, let alone Hoxton, couldn’t prize the most ‘Heat’ hardened eyes from the stage.
In what can only be described as a moment of seminality, 1000 Robota ripped through a set of the utmost ferocity that will only hasten their return to England and to an ever-growing fan base that was out in full-force this evening.
It’s hard to believe that a band so young and, well, so German (they sing in their mother tongue) could cause such a stir amongst fans and record labels alike but the sheer brutishness and urgency in which they play to an enthralled audience goes a long way to explaining it.
'Hamberg Brennt', their unhinged, powerhouse of a banger was as marvellous live as we all hoped it would be but it was 'Sachen Erleben' and 'Wir Bauen Eine Neue Stadt', particularly the latter that not only channelled the un-nerving, raw spirit of Gang of Four and Television but their pure fervour made John Lydon look like an ageing Tory (Oh hang on?).
Some may think a devoted audience and an Indie-elite fan club would be enough to suggest 1000 Robota are a shoe-in for further British dates. An opportunity to rest on their laurels? Not a chance. Set closer 'Mein Traum' is played with so much force guitar strings snap, fingers split and instruments get splattered with blood. It’s a thrilling finale that capturesthe pure brilliance of a band your just gonna have to get used to. Just make sure you’re neither squirmish nor star struck.

Review by Daniel Wade

You know it's summer when...

a clap of thunder rumbles indiscriminately over Vampire Weekends' Mansard Roof' ceasing any enjoyment of the record from the outset.
This happened yesterday, on a day when the weather was about as consistent as a Glastonbury punters bowl movements.
I tried to listen to the rest of the album but it's sunny disposition failed to sit comfortably amongst rain battered window panes and heavy,brooding skies. So I put on 'Hits' by
The Birthday Party and Nick Caves antagonistic, gothic drawl became somewhat of a fitting repost to a slate-Grey London afternoon that teetered on the edge of pathetic.
























Like many bands evolving from the defunct-punk scene, The BirthdayParty reveled in a creative freedom that saw their mutant concoction of punk and jazz-blues vie for space in an already over-crowded melting pot of post-punk, new wave and new-romantic bands.
There distaste for commercialism and insistence for making music on their own terms, i.e. a hybrid of dark-wave and post-punk meant the door that welcomed the likes of The Fall, Gang of Four and Joy Division was held firmly shut in the face of The Birthday Party. This only had the effect of spurring Nick Cave on to push their experimental sound even further,which ultimately made The Birthday Party one of the most influential bands of the last 40 years.


It's only been apparent in the last 2 years just how influential The Birthday Party were.
Int he summer of 2005, The Horrors spawned from the dark breeding's of Cave&Co released their debut LP 'Strange House' to a generation that thought interpol were as dark and dangerous as it got. The album was an instant cult hit and a string of live shows and support slots, notably with the Arctic Monkeys, caused ripple's of discontent amongst the Fratelli loving beer-boys but galvanised the art and book club recluses into kick-starting a scene that reeked of individuality and creativity.Since then, a whole host of bands have not only picked up the baton but they've run with it, passed it on and smashed it round the head of every irrelevant scmindie act out there, leaving them bloody and useless on the strobe light-lit dance floors of the UK.

Here's our pick of the bands that are heading the most exciting scene in music today, Dark Wave:

Ipso Facto











Televised Crimwave













Lord Auch












KASMs
















SCUM