Battles

Most people know what to expect from a Battles concert but it is still quite a jolt to the system when they finally get things together after a long intro. Explosion in a musical paint factory could be a way of describing it. It all sounds a bit of a mess but slowly subtleties begin to appear and it comes together.

It can be easy to get deterred bleeps and squeaks that emanate from the stage but much easier to let it grab and take you on the fabulous musical journey that Battles embark on. That’s what the crowd do as they surf, dance and even mosh. Their blend of electronica and rock does give them a proggy feel at times though direct references aren’t immediate.

Others may get their enjoyment from the technical stuff, and just seeing master musicians, and possibly programmers too, on stage. There’s also what appear to be a lot of faffing about with Ian Williams and Dave Konopka pressing buttons or flicking switches while John Stanier hits those drums real hard and true. It doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the performance as it all works seamlessly and almost endlessly inventive. And for all the apparent otherworldliness, and sometimes disconcerting sounds there is a goofy warmth about them and their performance and one never feels that the band is just a lab creation.

There’s a set list somewhere for those who are interested but individual songs are almost meaningless in the context of this performance as there is nary a break and much the better for it too.