Future Of The Left - The Deaf Institute, Manchester - 9th June 2012 (Live Review)
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Written by Ben Bland
The Deaf Institute is perhaps a funny match for Future of the Left. It’s a bit hip (or at least thinks it is), has seats at the back and a balcony to the side. It even lets the light in through the roof (meaning the venue is still bathed in late evening sunlight up until around 9pm). By contrast Future of the Left are pretty pissed off at most of the things people consider hip and make the kind of music that fits neither with the daylight nor with the seats and balcony.
The set-up makes for a strange atmosphere (or rather lack of) as support trio Fever Fever take to the stage. Their garage punk overtones are rendered all skewed by singer Rosie’s slightly eccentric manner of delivery and the arty squawk of guitarist Ellie’s Mustang. They manage to be more entertaining than perhaps they are interesting but it is hard to give them anything but praise. The lack of bass occasionally makes the sound a little thin but they definitely have something about them that makes them worth listening to. If they are
playing in your area, try your best to go and catch them.
If Future of the Left are playing anywhere near you then you should drop everything and head along to the show. Few bands manage to keep up the intensity in quite the same way as the Cardiff based quartet. Andrew Falkous spits his way through the set with venom, ably assisted by Jimmy Watkins joining him on both guitar and vocals. Drummer Jack Egglestone is so underrated that it is almost painful. The guy is like a machine behind the kit, dictating the whole pace of the band and managing to be a genuinely interesting drummer at the same time. Bassist Julia Ruzicka meanwhile is a more reserved stage presence than her fellow bandmates but still more than content both to give the odd snarl into the mic and to put in a faultless musical display.
The highlights of the set are hard to pick out, mostly because every single song (even the new ones) are reacted to by the hardcore fans in the crowd (of which there are plenty) like such old favourites that The Deaf Institute goes mental every time the band begins a new track. 'Sheena is a T-Shirt Salesman' elicits a chaotic sea of bodies crashing into one another on the dancefloor whilst 'Manchasm' manages to arouse a pretty impressive sing-along. The sound of a packed venue all bellowing the words “Colin is a pussy, a very pretty pussy...a very pretty pussycat” is undeniably slightly bizarre but all shades of awesome at the same time. Of course the place goes crazy for Mclusky classics 'Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues' and 'To Hell With Good Intentions' but it is reassuring to see that the best reactions are saved for actual Future of the Left songs.
The acerbic stage wit of Falkous and Watkins adds another layer of enjoyment to proceedings. Furthermore, there is no better way to end a rock show than by having Watkins leap into the crowd in order to gaffa tape a bottle of Beck’s to some poor chaps forehead before leaping onto him to scream the words “I trusted you” in his face over and over again; meanwhile Falkous deconstructs Egglestone’s drum kit whilst the poor man tries to keep playing it, creating a fantastic visual with which to end the show. In fact, utter chaos would perhaps be the best way to describe this show. When it comes to being loud, pissed off, funny and stupidly enjoyable, Future of the Left really are miles ahead of the pack.
Future of the Left play numerous festivals this summer, including 2000trees, Off the Cuff, Truck and Y-Not. Check out www.futureoftheleft.net for more information.
'The Plot against Common Sense', the new album by Future of the Left, is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings.
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The set-up makes for a strange atmosphere (or rather lack of) as support trio Fever Fever take to the stage. Their garage punk overtones are rendered all skewed by singer Rosie’s slightly eccentric manner of delivery and the arty squawk of guitarist Ellie’s Mustang. They manage to be more entertaining than perhaps they are interesting but it is hard to give them anything but praise. The lack of bass occasionally makes the sound a little thin but they definitely have something about them that makes them worth listening to. If they are
