As I entered Cardiff Arts Institute, I was greeted
by a few student types enjoying a quiet pint and
a raucous sound check from behind a heavy black
curtain; protecting the eyes and souls of the
quiet pint drinkers from what is about to go off.
Composites of tuneful yelping, palpitating bass
beats and drumming that pounds and scatters throughout
the venue, penetrated the curtain causing such
a stir that the quiet pint drinkers applauded,
whooped and yelled. “Thank you in the back!”
Nolen Strals piped up.
This is only Double Dagger’s sound check.
Holy crap!
The curtain disappeared with minutes to spare
before local Cardiff reprobates, Saturday’s
Kids, stepped up to the plate. The task at hand
was to warm us up. What they conjured up was doom
laden, bluesy riffs with distinct punk edges and
pain staking vocals lending them an upbeat, dirty
and catchy vibe. Apportioning their aural assault
with punk rock screaming a la Gay For Johnny Depp
and The Sex Pistols and erratic guitaring with
frenetic vocals should have been a winning formula
but sadly fell short and instead left us feeling
sensually assaulted.
Schizo-pop duo, Friendship, armed with a guitar,
a drum kit and looping pedals, take to the slightly
raised stage and beckon us all forward. Their
galloping drums and calypso beats give the impression
of happy summer vibes bursting from every melody.
But delve a little deeper, into the dank metallic
guitars that encased our frontal lobes, to behold
the behaviourally inept and oft down right deranged
truth which comes gatecrashing around you. Either
way you choose to view Friendship, they know exactly
how to create a unique high octane electro pop
show that dares you to sink your teeth right in.
If The Graveyard Shift is anything to go by, your
teeth will bypass the bone and gnaw psychotically
at their innards. False starts and spine-cracking
banter pre-empting Lifeguard – of course
the cowbell was present and correct - with Willard’s
“Let’s not turn this into a comedy
show. It’s a rock show” made for a
monstrously entertaining set while the muffled
vocals, although didn’t allow much room
for a sing along, sure did let the music do all
of the talking. A beaming set with a hideously
dark underbelly lead perfectly into what Baltimore’s
unhinged trio of madmen had in store.
On first impressions, Double Dagger are a meek
looking threesome. Some would say geeky even;
especially when Denny Bowen drops his jeans on
stage in favour of soccer shorts and camouflage
t shirt. Then the first track on the set list
pounded in and Nolen Strals launched into a physical
tirade, hurling himself at the audience who had
instinctively positioned themselves a good, safe
distance from the stage edge. Strals’ dance
shapes are nothing short of captivating as in
one step he is throwing his Rayban spectacles
across the stage, in the next he is so close to
your face that you can taste the metallic case
of the microphone, in the next he is twisting
and grinding on the floor as if having a seizure
or falling into a restless sleep. Luxury Condos
For The Poor was a deliciously deranged slice
of post-punk mosh pit inducing pie; which the
members of Saturday’s Kids and Friendship
were more than happy to devour with a manic, slip
n slide mosh pit complete with beer pools and
Strals’ fish out of water flings.
“The next two songs are on the new record.
We could really use your money…We could
also really use your sweaty bodies.” How
Strals addressed the crowd struck fear into the
hearts of all while simultaneously spreading beaming
nervous-smiles across the front row and beyond,
as the anticipation of which ones of us would
be abused in the next song. Pillow Talk splattered
in with the vocalist scaling the rails of Cardiff
Arts Insitute and continuing to pole dance around
the venue. “The guys at Friendship sure
love fucking!” With the scrote ooging, sweat
dripping, mic licking, chord gagging S&M type
fun that ensued, along with full on porn star
ass thrusting climaxed the show. From delectable
90’s vibes of The Lie/The Truth to the full
on onslaught of Camoflage, Double Dagger wowed
the crowd with their exuberant amplification of
everything that is great about post-grunge.
A fire in their belly show – and not only
because of the Indian feast they had all consumed
that afternoon.
Saturdays Kids 1/5
Friendship 4/5
Double Dagger 5/5
Review By Jessica Acreman |
