12 February 2010 (gig)
14 February 2010
Having had to reschedule their gigs from last year, the Underworld was throbbing with anticipation for Nebula.
First off we have Sedulus a British stoner band who have the beards, the hair and the music. The trouble is so have many others! There’s already plenty of this sort of thing about, and while they have the groove, they sound stuck in it.
Magna Saga could well be the next big thing, as this was a performance of awesome power and confidence. There’s a smidgen of indie about them, but there’s also the majesty of Tool, the flamboyance of Muse and the shuffle of Queens of the Stone Age. They’ll be out of these places soon, so catch them while you can still see them, without the aid of a screen.
But we were here for Nebula, and they didn’t disappoint. Tonight was their night and no one could hold a joss stick to them. They tore the place apart, with a varied set, but drawing heavily on the excellent Heavy Psych album. This was a display of raw, primal rock power. A toxic blend of heavy, dirty, scuzzy blues and psychedelia, spewed from the stage, all gratefully lapped up by the crowd.
Highlights? It was all outstanding but at a push there was a vicious cover of The Stooges’ Search and Destroy, a juggernaut heavy In the Depths, and The Void’s trippy, hypnotic tribal drumming and swirls. They rounded the night off, fittingly, with Down the Highway.
It’s early but this must be a contender for gig of the year.
