The Wildhouse - Rep Theatre Cafe, Dundee 12-09-05
The ten commandments of The Wildhouse: Pt 1 -
1. No 2 concerts are ever the same
2. If any of the band self-destructs half way through, this is perfectly normal - do not be alarmed!
3. Be aggressive!
Tonight, I got my fix - this band are like that - they get under your skin - you feel the need to see and hear them in concert - it only takes one time and you're hooked - then there's no going back. At an impossibly small venue on a rainy night in Dundee, the trio of Peter on squall guitar, Paul on nuclear guitar and Sheila on savage drums, proceded to play a kiler set - in more ways than one. Starting with cymbal spashes and delicately chiming guitars, Paul sings with a lazy, almost deliberately half-heard vocal, as the song unfolds and you swear that any minute they'll break out intosome lost Jefferson Airplane track. But then, with aswift click of the sticks, Sheila begins to drum - she plays two flor mounted drums and a cymbal - and the process begins. Paul's guitar begins to fly as a cohesive lead rings out, while Peter's guitar is immediately set on stun as raging waves of sound come pouring out. Below all this, Sheila's drumming is driving it all forward in a manner more akin to a Krautrock version of the Velvet Underground's "European Son". Then it ends - or rather it doesn't - it just starts to fade as the audience decides it's ended and clap, so the band end it and start again. The next song sees Sheila upping he stakes as the drumming accelerates and this time the whole band roar into life as searing lead electric guitar is set against howling, and more restrained tonight, feedback all propelled by this addictive drumming that is setting the hairs standing on the back of your neck.
Again, the song doesn't so much end as just accidentally stop - leading right into the oncoming hurricane as the band begin - only this time fate intervenes about two thirds through the next song, as Peter#s guitar breaks, leaving Sheila and Paul to see it out - and, oddly enough, it was almost like it was meant to be as this cavernous drums sound resonates around the room accompanied by this red-hot, straight guitar lead, and a section that truly made the White Stripes sound like Buck's Fizz!!
New guitar in hand, Peter tunes up as the band plays - and somehow you treat it as part of the ritual that is this band in concert - as another slice of musical thunder and lightning ensues. After this came a new track, "Pre-Flyte" where Sheila takes the vocal lead and drums too, and here the initial reaction is to hearken back to Faust's "It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl" as the drums and chiming guitars accompany this dry Nico-esque vocal that simply intones the words "I'm Free Follow Me Follow Me, Follow Me - With no gauarntee, guarantee, guarantee" - as you see, worthy of the mighty Faust - and then the pressure builds only for the guitars to go super-nova, with riffing, incendiary lead work, squals of intensity, howling feedback - even a point where Peter leaves the guitar up against the amp and walks off - as you half expect he's not gonna come back - but he returns and the band make Thor's Hammer look like a toothpick as this massive blitz continues to awesome effect - it has the hairs standing up on places you don't have hairs!!
There was more - not much more, but more, despite the equipment problems that just added to the whole experience that is seeing this band live in concert - and you cannot even begin to understand the full impact of this band unless you do.
But tonight, focusing on the songs, the guitar work and the drums, much more intently, I see now why the band's manager suggested I get to hear some classic Velvet Underground - for this is unique in its time - the only thing to rival the Velvets in 30 odd years - only better. But there's more - the spirit of adventure and some of the sound of Faust is also present, while the songs are..well, you can find that bit out for yourself.
Overall, for me, a stunning set - and not one of th best by the band's admission - but if this was half way there, I can't wait until the destination is reached - at which point, the earth will self-destruct.
