Thekla , Bristol, Sunday October 17th
Thekla is hallowed ground (or should that be planks?) for touring bands.Itt has hosted countless of genre defining and also just plain mad gigs over the years, so it’s nice to see upcoming talent such as Hypothetics join that long old list. I only reviewed Hypothetics a few weeks ago and said they had an upwards trajectory, I didn’t quite expect it to happen that quick! Calm down lads, by the time this review has been published you’ll be at Glastonbury.
You can read my thoughts on Hypothetics brilliant set at the The Golden Lion here: https://thebristolgigguide.com/review-hypothetics-w-my-octopus-mind/
Tour supports this time around are a band called Genn who stem from Malta but are based in Brighton (and not France as they wanted everyone to know!) Opening the set was an instrumental piece that I would describe as being minimalist but with punch provided by the tight yet popy bass and the almost bluesy quality of the lead guitar playing painting a musical cavern which was quickly filled in by the truly immense vocals. It’s hard not to draw comparisons with the indemmable Priests fronted by Kaitie Greer whose vocals are very much in the same league as Leona Farrugia of GENN, but infused with Euro-Rock flavours of soaring choruses and catchy chantable lyrics. You’d have thought with the immense touring they have done with JOHN and other gigs across the country that they’d be tired, but clearly not because they made the place swing with some of the funkiest dancing since Craig Charles.
John knew how to make an entrance, even just walking into the darkness of Theklas downstairs all you could see was the frankly ominous JOHN lightbox shining through the darkness looking like a set piece from Kubrick’s 2001. Walking into Godspeed, You Black Emperor and then pounding the audience in the face with Šibensko Powerhouse followed by a grand tour of the first , second and newest album. Although they produce an intimidating wall of noisey destruction the band themselves are very approachable, joking with the audience about the fact the new album was 78th in the charts but “if you take 8 from 7 you get one” whilst also asking the audience if playing older music was okay, like anyone was going to disagree! With only two members you’d think JOHN are limited musically, but the new album and the history of bands like SLAVES shows the more often than not the ultimate formula isn’t “more is less”, no no no, it’s “remove excess and add volume” …lots and lots of volume.
Review by www.instagram.com/cam.mulberry
Title Image by www.instagram.com/simonholliday