sunday morning coming down

I had no intentions of going out over the weekend but Friday somehow saw me in the sugar club at an IMRO showcase of new bands that included Betamax Format, Le Galaxie and Grand Pocket Orchestra. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the sugar club is an odd and inappropriate venue for a lot of the energetic indie-rock style acts that have recently ended up playing there. All those ascending rows of fixed tables can form a barrier between the audience and the band and lead to muted atmosphere at times, especially when the venue is not sold out. Its more of a venue for your Stars Of the Lids than your Grand Pocket Orchestras.

Anyway, I arrived too late for Betamax but caught Grand Pocket Orchestra and Le Galaxie, who I only found out on the night used to be 66E. I must confess that I've seen GPO a few times before and while I enjoyed them I never gave them my complete attention. That changed on Friday night. I don't know if it was the band stepping up a gear or me just being attentive (aka sober), but I was completely taken in. This was an arresting and dynamic performance. After stepping out with Fight Like Apes a few times, GPO have developed quickly and confidently. They now have a sound that isn't a million miles from the apes but is very much their own. Its an ostentatious indie clatter that sounds a bit like Deerhoof and Los Campesinos! having group sex in a cowbell factory. Its exhilarating. Also, they really look the part- they filled the stage like a quirky cartoon band, jumping around the place and all dressed up brightly. Good luck to 'em.


Grand pocket orchestra enjoying their rider.

MP3: Grand Pocket Orchestra-radio

The next band I saw, Le Galaxie were a different kettle of fish altogether; brooding, emotive purveyors of post rock with oodles of blaring synths. Some of it sounded great- a suitably widescreen soundtrack to an imaginarey sci-fi movie. A wee bit of it sounded a little cheesey though. There is such a thing as too much Korg. Lots of Dublin bands need to know this. By hammering out repetitive pre-programmed riffs on one of those things, you are not taking your music in some visionary new direction, you're just giving people a headache. Also, shit that sounds boring on guitar sounds even more boring on synths. So easy on the synths lads! In saying that, Le Galaxie are well able to pull it off successfully. And I gotta admit, I loved the flashing lights under the lead singer's Korg. It gave me the impression that if Le Galaxie had more money at their disposal, they'd invest in jet packs, floating keyboards and a lazer light show to go with their bombastic music.


Le Galaxie chill out backstage