REVIEW: PULLED APART BY HORSES + THE COMPUTERS AT BRISTOL FLEECE (18/02/12)
At last, The Fleece has wised up to the awkward layout of the venue and shifted the entrance to the back door – instead of the side one. It comes as no surprise that they chose this sold out gig to do that cos the crowd was fuckin mental.
From the moment the suited and booted Devon rockers The Computers take to the stage with their Evangelical rock ramblings (think a slightly less hardcore Rocket From The Crypt), the kids down the front are totally ON IT.
The Computers temporarily change the name of their biggest hit Music Is Dead to Music Is Jeff, in honour of 247 Magazine columnist and serial gig goer Big Jeff – at which point a dozen fans (fans of Jeff) start chanting his name: “Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff!” He looks a tad embarrassed and all this worship crap kinda distracts from the fact The Computers rock.
Granted the vocals aren’t impeccable, with frontman Alex Kershaw’s screamo cutting out every now and again but that doesn’t matter. These guys are true showmen. Their stylish rock combines with some OTT antics, such as Kershaw trawling through the audience and finishing the set stood on a tiny ledge on one of the Fleece’s infamous structural poles. Inspired.
It’s hard to imagine any other band opening for the saviours of rock’n’roll (as some critics would have us believe), Pulled Apart By Horses. PABH are renowned for their epic live sets and you can almost taste the anticipation in the air. Despite being sold out, with this new layout it didn’t feel too rammed. Or maybe that was due to the massive moshpit down the front?
The lads say they’ve been listening to a lot of Guns and Roses recently and it’s quite clear this has rubbed off on them, with Moonlit Talons sounding like a more credible sped up version of One In A Million. The same could be said of recent single V.E.N.O.M, from the new album Tough Love. A sharp, punchy, angsty, raw number which sounds massive in the 200-capacity Fleece. Imagine the lovechild of Juliet Lewis and the Licks (bear with me on this comparison, that girl’s got bite!) and Queens of the Stone Age (not literal love child).
After a couple of token stage dive efforts early in the set, High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive results in them launching themselves into the heart of the crowd to play up close and personal. Rock and roll! There is no doubting their set is tight and brilliantly impressive. They’ve still got that cheeky edge needed to be a rockstar without the Gallagher arrogance too. What’s more, they’ve got the potential to be one of those seminal bands which represent a whole generation of fucked off young folk, but they’ll need to get a bit more political to seal the deal.
Words: Laura Williams
Photos: Laura Palmer
