LOUDANDQUITE.COM follow us on twitter find us on facebook LOUD AND QUIET
LIVE REVIEW
PSEUDO NIPPON AT THE PENTHOUSE, BRIGHTON
PSEUDO NIPPON
The Penthouse
Brighton
2/12/09

Anyone stumbling across tonight’s gig, unaware of Pseudo Nippon beforehand, may be thinking they have accidentally wandered into seeing an obscure cult sermon being held by a madcap leader. Tonight, armed with a chaos pad and a microphone, this one man delivers a performance that borders on performance art, albeit performance art that has fully embraced the idea that humour is an essential part of living, from an artists whose lyrics are made up of a mish-mash of languages that cover such extreme subjects as Jon Bon Jovi, Fish Ladies and Jebubu, all performed to a backing rich in electro hallmarks. The programmed backing is a mixture of glitchy synth noises, near broken drum beats and doses of recycled sounds from classic Eighties video games, and the final collision of these vital components is extremely peculiar. Factor in an energetic dance routine that bears more similarities to the exercise routines promoted by GMTV’s famed mid 90’s fitness instructor Mr Motivator than the rigid statuesque movements of your typical guitar band, and the unique gauge is cranked up several more notches. Some may brand what Pseudo Nippon does as low-brand kitsch trash, others will greet it with a sigh of relief; all will never see anything quite like it again.

By Nathan Westley

———–

Originally published in issue 13 (vol 3) of Loud And Quiet. December 2009


HUDSON MOHAWKE AT XOYO
XOYO
Old Street, London
19/10/11

The best shows are most often those where artist and audience fall into a frenzied feedback loop of mutual appreciation.

AZARI & ILL AT WHITE HEAT, SOHO
White Heat
Soho, London
01/11/11

Some tech-savvy good Samaritan recently ripped and uploaded a BBC radio documentary about house music grandaddy Larry Levan.

GOTYE AT KCLSU
KCLSU
London
01/11/11

King’s College seems an odd venue for Australian singer-songwriter Gotye.

FLAMINGODS AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
19/10/11

Save for an old electronic keyboard and a delay pedal that makes singer Kamal’s vocals ping-pong out of the room, Flamingods don’t do instruments with wires.

PURE X AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
1/11/11

Drugs. They’re rife within popular music. Especially within the type that Texan trio Pure X make, courtesy of a Spiritualized habit they just can’t (or won’t) kick.

2:54 AT CORSICA STUDIOS, ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
Corsica Studios
Elephant & Castle, London
09/11/11

Sisters Hannah and Colette Thurlow famously named their bristly, glowering rock band after a favourite moment on a Melvins song, 2 minutes and 54 seconds in, to be precise.

DOOM & GHOSTFACE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE
The Roundhouse, Camden
London
05/11/11

The man formerly known as MF Doom returns to the Roundhouse for a sold-out show, barely a year after his debut European performance in the same venue.

CAGED ANIMALS AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
28/09/11

In the studio, Caged Animals (Soft Black’s Vincent Cacchione’s new baby) deal in a faintly cloying, suburban youth-channelling indie with a twist.

MILK MAID AT THE GREEN DOOR, BRIGHTON
The Green Door
Brighton
20/09/11

Despite the days of Union Jack plastered guitars and weather-worn parkas being a prerequisite of any northern based guitar band being long gone.

METRONOMY AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington
London
03/10/11

“It’s hard to believe that in this very room they used to have gladiators fighting to the death,” exclaims Metronomy main-man Joe Mount.