Review Grooves: Camden Crawl | Ben White | Red Bull Bedroom | X-Crawl | Howling Bells | SCUM

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

The Review - MUSIC - grooves with RóISíN GADELRAB
Published: 30 April 2009

Kitty Daisy and Lewis performing at St Michael's Church as part of X-Crawl. Picture: Andrew Willsher

Humdrum SCUM pulled apart by horses

X-CRAWL REVIEW

FOR the first time ever, the Camden Crawl hosted an underage event – the Red Bull Bedroom Jamm X-Crawl.
Taking place on the Saturday during the day, exclusively for 14-18-year-olds, it ran across four venues - Underworld, Camden Rock, The Purple Turtle and most interestingly, but not practically, as we later found, St Michaels Church.
The promising line-up included Eugene McGuiness, Howling Bells, thecocknbullkid, Danananakroyd, Pulled Apart By Horses.
Howling Bells pulled out at the last minute – not a good start, especially considering that they were the band I was looking forward to the most. Thankfully, Kentish Town siblings Kitty Daisy and Lewis didn’t disappoint – their love for 50's music is instantly audible in their playing.
They played both covers (Muddy Waters) and originals from their debut album (Swinging Hawaii). If only the acoustics in St Michaels Church were better suited to live music.
Unfortunately I managed to stumble into a SCUM gig next – not my first one either. I first saw SCUM late last year at Koko. At the time I couldn’t really express in words just how bad I thought they were – and I still can’t. According to their MySpace they play Industrial/Visual/Melodramatic Popular Song. The popular song part must have missed me, I only heard out-of-tune vocals and guitars so heavily distorted that it would have been hard to tell if they were in time or tune. At least they were energetic, even if it sounded like they couldn’t play any of their instruments.
Pulled Apart By Horses also offered a high energy set. Early single Meat Balloon was a particular highlight – the middle section breakdown that combines a chugging disco bassline and singer Tom Hudson’s falsetto refrain of “We are, so macho!” had the crowd begging out of their hands. Other crowd favourites like I Punched a Lion in the Throat didn’t disappoint: the main riff sounded just as catchy live as it does on record. I Punched A Lion builds up into a crescendo with bouts of thrashing guitar that borrow heavily from AC/DC. But in the best way.

Ben White

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

Check Prices, Availability & Book Online
Receive Online Discounts and Instant Confirmation

» Rock & Pop
» Gig Listings
» Classical & Jazz
» C&J Listings
» Book concerts/gigs
» Buy CDs