Battles & Gallops at the Trinity Centre. 28/6/2011
Written for Bristol’s Crack magazine:
A sweltering Trinity Center plays host to a highly anticipated night of vox-less eclecticism.
Opening tonight’s proceedings are Gallops, who are “From Wales and are Welsh”, apparently. It’s a modest opening and about as much chat as we are to expect for the rest of their set.
From the outset Gallops are tight and assured. Clearly the music does the talking as they take us through through their self-titled EP and a few newer songs. Their perhaps most complete song, the infectious Miami Spider, provides the high point.
A minimal approach to stage presence and crowd interaction is more than made up for by their drummer Dave Morait, who is mental. If you locked a 12 year old Keith Moon in a room for a decade with nothing but a drum kit, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ and a Buddy Rich DVD, this man would be the result. His erratic technique adds a solid foundation and a pretty frame to each song and is deserved of a special mention.
A straddling of several genres demonstrates Gallops’ wide range of influences. While the Battles comparison is obvious and somewhat lazy, they incorporate math-rock, droning electronica, post-hardcore and a dusty-fingered record-digging quality that few bands manage to convey. As their stage time drew to a close, the audience had swollen to four times the size, marking a triumphant performance and a huddle of new fans. Mission accomplished.
Fresh off the Glastonbury press, and following the recent departure of guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and ‘guy with the ‘fro’ Tyondai Braxton, it could be said that Battles are up against it. However, a lack of space and an air of anticipation suggest to the contrary as the band cooly take to the stage and go to work on the increasing intensity of Africastle; the opening track from their latest album. A unanimous sweat commences.
Battle’s musicianship is impeccable as they navigate us through a soundscape of off-kilter rhythms, melodies, samples and drops. Their recent shift to a four-piece has clearly heightened Ian Williams’ duties, as he juggles between guitar, two tilted keyboards on either side of him, a suspended cowbell and an array of pedals, loops and samplers. His dual guitar tapping and keyboard playing alone is a joy to watch. He also controls two screens that make up the backdrop, displaying vocal performances from the likes of Gary Numan (on My Machines), Kazu Makino (Sweetie & Shag) and Matias Aguayo (Ice Cream). Williams manipulates these between dreamy images and merging colours as the setlist develops and compliments each song with its visual accompaniment.
Former Helmet drummer John Stanier is precise and assured as his trademark solitary Zildjian cymbal hangs high at full stretch; requiring a split-second glance preceding each use. His playing commands full attention from the centre of the stage and dominantly leads the band into their sensical changes in tempo and speed. Guitarist and youngest member Dave Konopka is assured and adds parts that flirt with frantic erraticism and harmonious intricacies.
A relatively short set, totaling just shy of an hour, is followed with an encore that features the steadily-arranged Sundome. Although encores should be reserved and limited to Bon Jovi, the dramatic crescendo of the closing tune makes for a fittingly epic finale and halts their set neatly at the point between wanting more and wanting to be outside.
Though Battles’ playing sometimes lacks the soul of lesser acts, their jaw-dropping musicianship more than makes up for it. Cue a herd of sweating late-twenty-somethings with beards in check shirts leaving in the knowledge of £14 well spent and a larger percentage of absentees who should know better than to be elsewhere
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