 for the South Coast trio and if there’s one criticism of the night, it’s that the set wasn’t longer (it was all wrapped up […] "'Pin It")
REVIEW: BAND OF SKULLS AT BRISTOL FLEECE (30/03/11)
It’s been a great week for gigs in Bristol with some top crowds to boot and Band of Skulls at the Fleece was no different. It was a late start (10pm) for the South Coast trio and if there’s one criticism of the night, it’s that the set wasn’t longer (it was all wrapped up by 11pm) but hey, it’s quality not quantity right? And this gig was quality. The band used the night to showcase some of their new material, material they were yet to play live. What a privilege. Despite their success with teen shows – they’ve had songs featured on Gossip Girl, Twighlight and Skins – the audience was slightly older (mid 20s onwards) and the Fleece proved the perfect setting for this band and this crowd.
Sometimes with boy/girl vocal duos, one is clearly carrying the other – it’s more like the guy is the lead singer and the woman does a couple of token songs (Arcade Fire, Magic Numbers etc) but here Russell Marsden and Emma Richardson are equally brilliant. Russell has that Jack White fervour going on and Emma is like Patti Smith, Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) all rolled into one. Effortlessly cool and undeniably talented. Their songs are tight and polished while maintaining that raw energy and lo-fi edge. The heavier tracks reveal a definite Nirvana influence and the more considered bluesy numbers have hints of Cat Power while listen hard enough and you can hear definite sniffs of The Cure and the Pixies.
They played a good selection of dancefloor hits from their debut album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, including Death By Diamonds And Pearls, Fires. Patterns and Impossible along with their most well known offering I Know What I Am – a stomper of a track with the potential to drive a whole stadium full of people to dance their asses off to the infectious beat. They encore included a slower new track (while I can’t tell you the names of the new songs I can tell you they clearly point towards a decent second album) and the awesome Hollywood Bowl. Another top gig by one of the most exciting bands in the UK at the moment.
Words: Laura Williams
Photo: Scott Penner via Flickr
