Bangor Rock City doesn’t quite have a ring to it, but it’ll do as a lynchpin to this review of a gig outside Belfast! Undoubtedly some are overawed at such a possibility, but it is feasible. Promoters, take note and you might find an enthusiastic audience awaits.
Less than a five-minute walk from the marina, the Hop House can be easy to miss for those not paying attention but, once you venture upstairs, you realise you’re in a perfect venue for a DIY show. Decorated with various artefacts going back to the 60’s as well as a bare wooden floor with a stencilled Peter Saville icon near the entrance, it’s an odd little room that offers access to another world via the medium of rock n roll.
Kolobok begin tonight’s proceedings. Made up of members of Comply and Die and THVS, as well as vocalist/guitarist Eddy (originally from London), they plough similar terrain to the aforementioned bands but the songs have much more of a garage feel as well as as a bluesier approach to the rhythms in places. Upon first listen, it seems that the main difference is that the job of the rhythm section in Kolobok is to hold down a solid terrain for Eddy to go off in tangents, whether it be garage, noise or space (whereas in COD and THVS they helped to accentuate the heaviness). It’ll be interesting to hear this on record but, for a first show, Kolobok rule.
A band who has polarised opinions of many a Belfast scenester, Stratford Rise are not easily consumed as their meld of Black Midi and Primus will either enthral or irritate those not familiar with angular experimental art rock. Tonight, they have a fierce sound (especially on bass) and the musical chaos makes far more sense the louder it is, also helped by the fact that they’re musically tight (especially the drummer). While most of their recorded output has emphasised the angular and atonal riffs and rhythms, they are a far fiercer proposition live. And Their awkwardness when addressing the crowd in between songs (as well as breaking a snare drum) is endearing.
For their first show this year, Exhalers play like they’re headlining the Ulster Hall. Self-deprecatingly introducing themselves as old men up well past their bedtime, they proceed to bludgeon the audience (in a way that would shame bands two decades younger) with noisy riffing and hammering drums (both that owe a debt to early QOTSA and DFA1979) that feel familiar but invigorating. Like Stratford Rise, their recordings are very different to their live counterparts: scuzzy, grimy riffing in songs like ‘Glitterball’ and ‘Meat Clown’ become overwhelming tour de forces when played in front of an audience. Hopefully a new album will be able to capture the live intensity.
For those who rocked in Bangor, we salute you.
