Goonite – Buffalo Bar.
We suggest checking out Goonite for it's audaciously exotic range of contemporary young London bands.
First up on this night was ‘Stairs to Korea’. ‘Stairs to Korea’ is a one man band made up of Will ex-Horsebox writer and front man. Horsebox was the band that toured extensively with The Magic Numbers last year. At the gig Will told me that the name had come from a trip to the British Museum. In one of the hallways there was a sign pointing to the Korean area of the exhibition reading ‘Stairs to Korea’, he felt it funny, it stuck. Before I came to this gig I knew that it would be a one man and his guitar set – In the caverns of my brain something was ticking over ‘This is probably the most pretentious name possible for one man and his soft songs’, but it didn’t turn out that way.
Will was set up to turn his electric guitar onto a Midi option using a special pick up. One second he was playing clean guitar the next he was playing a glockenspiel and then a piano – it was great. All of this was accompanied by a backing track that came from an Ipod he had attached using Velcro to the back of his Telecaster. All the tracks had been made on Reason at home and then downloaded onto the Ipod. These tracks were mint – fantastic percussion arrangements and samples pitter pattered from the PA. There was another element that further added to the interest of the songs, he had an intelligent voice recogniser that added harmonic vocals to accompany his own – I’d never seen this used before. It sounds amazing – truly astonishing – at times he sounded as if he was accompanied by a whole band of merry monks in Westminster Abbey. I strongly suggest a trip to see Stairs to Korea if they’re in your backyard because the music is so clever and complex that the name doesn’t seem pretentious when you get there.
Then Old Paul Hawkins & Thee Awkward Silences were up – the predictably brilliant subversive pop music bellowed out – it was just a shame the Skeleton man wasn’t there.
Next up was ‘Queen of Swords’. They share a drummer with ‘Trencher’ London’s finest Grindcore band which sort of makes them good before they even start. I asked the aforementioned Liam how he would describe his sound. He mulled this over for quite a long period of time. This may be explained by the fact that I had seen him passed out cold backstage during the first set and he had to be shaken awake to go and play. But I think it is also because they are essentially a noise band using rhythm. Liam spat out Pink Floyd – I can see where he’s coming from, the sound has a huge amount space and eerie acoustic. The set up is essentially a series of synths, percussion and guitar. The guitar spent its timed being detuned throughout the gig and the drums rolled D&B beats cushioned with abstract tenderness. I thought this was f**king great. It slowed us down and took us into strange alien musical environment. Not for the taste of the man next to me who was pissed off because he thought they were talentless but he was being a twat and I told him to go stick his Kylie records on or open his mind. Admittedly this is not for everyone as it is a little scary and ghoulish. But for the softies out there I think you should buck your ideas up – You are going to die! And it’s probably going to be painful – this music is simply communicating an expression of the countenance of being. It’s cool as shit my friends.
Finally there was ‘Pirate Ship Quintet’ this was very well constructed music but they looked like nobs. They were head banging to they’re Bonoboish music. It was good but they just looked like arrogant 17 year olds so I just can’t bring myself to compliment them.
The curator of this night was excellent so I strongly suggest checking out another Goonite – they also sell cigarettes at the bar which is player it makes you feel like you’re in Spain – Nice work lads.
