The veritable tastemakers at MusicInOxford HQ (I must say nice things – they’re watching me…) excelled themselves once again with the latest in a sporadic series of gigs celebrating eclectic line-ups of local and out-of-town talent at the old workhorse of the Oxford scene, The Wheatsheaf. Having admired the three local acts from a afar for some time, and having heard great things about Grey Hairs, it promised to be a good night from the start.
Although I was somewhat disappointed to learn that Tiger Mendoza were playing a DJ set as opposed to appearing as a full band (having never seen them before), the result was actually pretty interesting. Frontman Ian, wearing his trademark mask, combined elements of Tiger Mendoza’s own material with huge hip-hop beats and familiar samples from the likes of DJ Shadow, whose eclecticism has clearly had an influence on Ian’s approach to DJing. Being largely unfamiliar with Tiger Mendoza’s own music, it was hard to tell where the line between original and sampled music became blurred, but it was nonetheless a pleasant, stimulating start to the evening.
Featuring two former members of aggro-mentalists Xmas Lights, Abandon‘s music is in stark contrast to the other bands on display tonight, not to mention their own musical past. Instead of punching you in the face, Abandon slowly creep under your skin. Featuring two reverb-drenched guitars, bass and drums-by-way-of-an-iPad, Umair Chaudhry and company launch into a majestic, cold depression of chiming guitars and elegant song structures, delivered with the downtrodden emotion and pace of Jesu; Umair’s sullen voice an instrument in itself. It’s a shame some of the crowd were talking loudly throughout – Abandon are bound to polarise people who’ve come out to dance or rock out – but for those who were taken under their slowcore spell, it was a beautiful set of quiet dignity.
Dignity flies out of the door as soon as Nottingham’s Grey Hairs start up, and they’re like a jolt to the system after being lulled into a sweet coma by Abandon. The band tap into the very core of the mountain of rock’n'roll, to hit that sweet spot where enthusiasm and a little swagger makes technical precision seem pompous and absurd. It’s the kind of subversive rock’n'roll that compels trust fund kids to shuffle to the front to shake their heads wildly, and the rest of us sit back and enjoy the reference points, nodding smugly as the band touch upon Mclusky, Wire and the Fall. An intoxicating hybrid of Iggy & the Stooges-like garage rock and Pissed Jeans-ian mid-life crisis.
After Grey Hairs’ energised set I was beginning to wonder how Listing Ships would shape up in comparison. Thankfully, they were ship-shape (*cough*). But seriously, Listing Ships delivered a truly amazing performance of their nautical-themed post-Krautrock, the various band members gleefully switching between bass, electric guitar and a handful of synthesisers. Having been more than enthusiastic about their recorded output, I was pleased that the anthemic ‘Equus Ager’ and ‘All Aboard The Andrea Doria’ packed an even greater punch live, while songs like ‘The 100 Gun Ship’ proved to make even more sense within the context of their kinetic set. The band even presented their guitarist Jim (who was playing his last gig with the band before beckoning fatherhood) with a Listing Ships emblazoned baby-grow – not a usual staple of a rock show, but a sweet moment at the end of a fantastic evening courtesy of your ol’ pals, MusicInOxford.
[Originally published on MusicInOxford, 01/05/2013]
http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2013/05/01/listing-ships-grey-hairs-abandon-tiger-mendoza-the-wheatsheaf-oxford-120413/
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