All Time Top 100

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Foals - Komedia

If last night’s line up at the Komedia represents anything approaching a snapshot of Indie Brighton 2007 then the scene is indeed in rude health. Everyone knows that periodically, Brighton is capable of throwing up a pop phenomenon or crossover act to fly the flag, but can anyone recall a time when 3 home-grown bands, each one ‘export ready’ to use industry parlance and – whisper it – ‘cutting edge’ have occupied the same bill at one of the town’s premier venues?

OK, so Foals actually originate from Oxford but only on arrival in Brighton did they stabilise their line up and hone the sound that has had them touring the provinces, festivals and in some cases – house parties and kitchens of the UK for the last year. So last night was both a homecoming and a send off of sorts for both Metronomy and Foals who head out on a major nationwide tour together this week.

Maths Class were first on though and struggled with the early doors; their twin frontmen seemingly more interested in ruffling and restyling their preposterous hairstyles and writhing self-conscientiously than fully engaging the crowd. Metronomy faired much better and ignited the atmosphere with a deft mix of Krauty tick-tock techno, wonky wistfulness and seasick Cardiacs style synth lines.

Sensing there was something of a party on the cards Foals duly rose to the occasion and from the off the stage was a blur or whirling guitar necks and flailing limbs, each member twitching and convulsing to the band’s metronomic throb.

Their’s is a neat, wholly contemporary take on indie-dance that fuses the pulsating, dirty disco of !!! with the measured menace of Mogwai. Indeed, Foals have much in common with traditional post-rock, such is their mastery of desolate atmospherics and sparse, graceful interplay.

But last night they more than proved their ability to concoct live dance music for both the head and the feet, inspiring a disco mosh pit the traditionally stuffy Komedia will not see the likes of for some time yet. Things reach boiling point with a searing reading of ‘Mathletics’ and as the venue empties nobody doubts they’ve just witnessed a truly special band taking flight.

posted by: Jim Brackpool @ 10:32 PM

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