It's relatively quiet in The Rainbow, however whilst the crowd may be thin on the ground the same can't be said for tonight's opening act Swimming. The Nottingham 5-piece fill the stage, and the room, with their blend of electronics and reverb-soaked rock. Think of a more upbeat Twilight Sad, sans the Scottishness, and mix in a bit of The Cooper Temple Clause, and you may be somewhere close to imagining what these guys sound like. There is definitely a summery vibe to their music, which is reflected in the projections displayed behind them depicting surfers and US highways and various other Americana. On their more keyboard-led tracks they come across as a heavier Late of the Pier, and this may be no coincidence - their keyboardist Sam is/was a member of said band. Swimming have certainly mastered their craft, powerfully layering their sounds, all underpinned by their metronomic drummer who continually propels them forwards. I imagine the next time they swing through town, they'll be playing to a much larger crowd.
Next up are local lads Bad Apes, a caustic three-piece out of Walsall. Don't let their youthful looks fool you, for they know how to bring the noise at nosebleed-inducing levels. Their sound mixes punk and shoegaze in equal measures, and at times they wear their influences on their sleeves. Tonight's set opener for example sounds heavily inspired by Sonic Youth, and despite some issues with bass levels, gets the crowd in the mood for what's to come, a blistering set which takes in 'Oceans Rust' with its acidic bass riff, wavering nauseatingly throughout whilst still forming a solid bedrock upon which guitarist/vocalist Joe can build the song to its violent conclusion. However, the highlight tonight has to be new song 'What Doesn't Kill Me Only Puts Me In A Coma', which comes on like a pissed-off My Bloody Valentine. With its repetitive refrain "It's just the way we live our lives," it's as good as a statement of intent you'll get from Bad Apes. Closing with 'The Near Deaf Experience,' the audience are literally left near deaf as the band blasted the levels sub-atomic before leaving their guitars in a heap on the floor. They may not be to everyone's taste, but if you like your music loud, abrasive and unpredictable, Bad Apes may just be your new favourite band.
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| The Megaphonic Thrift |
Headlining The Rainbow this evening are Norwegian 4-piece The Megaphonic Thrift who bring a lot more melody to proceedings - think a Scandinavian Broken Social Scene, melodic basslines, swathed in layers of reverb-drenched guitar, forming a formidable wall of sound. Similarities can be drawn with early British Sea Power, however it is the shoegaze elements that really make The Megaphonic Thrift shine: the vulnerability and fragility in bassist Linn Frokedal's voice mark a sharp contrast to the sheets of distortion, and recall all the best bits of My Blood Valentine. Not to be outdone by Bad Apes' antics, TMT end with the massive post-rock epic that is 'Queen of Noise', speeding full throttle through to a ear-shattering climax - a climax that leaves their guitars ringing off into infinity, as well as ears buzzing well into the next day.
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