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KOKO's rockin'
Indie | Monday 18th November 2013 | Alex
Free dictionary sites are convenient little things aren’t they? For instance, the only word that I could think of to describe Phil Campbell’s face at KOKO last night (18/11) was “contorted” which means, exactly,this:
“To become twisted into a strained shape or expression.”
It seems pretty appropriate, but only in the most ameliorative sense of the word possible. Every time you saw Campbell’s face twist into the snarl that he so revelled in, only good things came after.
Now, The Temperance Movement are not a particularly old band. They first established themselves on the 10th of November, 2011 so that’s 2 years and 8 days of Temperance since the name was first ushered. They haven’t done too badly for themselves, since. Their debut album peaked at #12 in the album charts in the UK, which is nothing to be scoffed at when we look at a chart which, in the top 15 currently, contains Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Now I don’t know but I’m fairly certain it isn’t 1963. This piture shows you that it definitely ISN'T 1963, anymore.
PHOTO: Jimmy Page backstage with The Temperance Movement from last night’s show at KOKO. (Photo by mjambriz) pic.twitter.com/3DmJZRgijJ
— Led Zeppelin News (@LedZepNews) November 18, 2013
So, not bad going. Coming into the gig at KOKO they’d just played 5 weeks on the continent and a date in Stoke-On-Trent’s premier nightlife experience “The Sugarmill”, if people were expecting a slightly beleaguered performance, there wasn’t one to be seen. Straight away, they break into “Be Lucky” and, while Luke Potashnick strums out one of this year’s most laid back riffs, Phil’s being the archetypical frontman. If Jagger was there he would have been so proud. Walking on stage in a huge coat and glasses, you know this guy’s been dancing in front of his bands for a while now.
After the release of one album, and an EP which contained five tracks that were to go onto the album, you could have written the setlist yourself. This is not a criticism, though. It seemed that every member of the audience knew when to give it the “oohs” and “woahs”, “Only Friend” worked particularly well in this format, you only had to listen to the crowd get more frenetic in their woahing and clapping in demand of an encore.
This is a band that knows how to work a crowd and every member of the band contributed exactly in the way they wanted to. The intermittent snippets of random psychadelia which Paul Sayer was loving, combined with Nick Fyffe and Damon Wilson having an obviously natural partnership in the rhythm section, means that there’s a community atmosphere in their music. There’s no one bigger than the band itself and no ego that dominates. When they were together, arm in arm, to lap up the crowd’s applause it wasn’t a staged stunt. Just five mates, riding the wave.
The KOKO gig was a huge success. Everyone showcased just what they brought to the band and the crowd responded in a manner that you rarely get these days. Maybe it’s because no one whips them up like these guys, anymore. 4 dates left of their mammoth tour and I’d be horrified to see them drop in anyway. Just ask the guy that got over-excited and shouted out “Lord!” 2 beats too early during “Only Friend” in a manner reminiscent of this.
Alex Taylor https://twitter.com/alextaylor18
