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RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY + AVANT GARDE One dictionary definition of "Avant Garde" is "radically new or original". Another is "a group active in the invention and application of new techinques". Neither of which apply to the Lorries support band tonight. They look like they've been around for eons so maybe once they were breaking new ground, but now, a full 25 years since something black crawled from the darker recesses of Punk, their goth by numbers shtick sounds really tired. They've got the look - a typically Italian combo of suit jackets, ties and biker boots and there may be a couple of good tracks in their set (in truth my toe taps slightly during one number), but since I can't think of anything nice to say I'll leave it there. Red Lorry Yellow Lorry have returned to the fray with a flurry of activity during 2004. A promising 4-track EP earlier in the year (the internet-only "Black Tracks") and a recently released best-of live DVD have rekindled interest in a band that many of us had written off years ago. Closing out the year with a couple of low-key live gigs means we get to see wether they can still cut it live. As they take the satge the hardcore fans among the curious crowd holds their breath... As the first familiar notes chime out it's obvious that age hasn't dulled the music's intensity. Songs that were originally performed by two guitarists could have been rendered impotent when played on just one, but the riffs sound really full and don't suffer at all. Some songs sound less harshly teutonic than they do on record, due mainly to the live drummer replacing the colder electronic patterns, but this isn't necessarily a criticism. But it's Chris Reed, whose studied, impassive delivery and economical use of the stage concentrates focus on the music and the lyrics. It takes several songs for the crowd to warm up but after a few crowdpleasers, including my personal favourites, "Nothing Wrong" and "Talk About The Weather", there's definitely signs of movement. By the end of the first part of the set there's even a small but fully-formed moshpit. A particularly fine version of "Spinning Round" has me slam-dancing for the first time in years (well, when in Rome...) and I'm enjoying myself so much I totally miss a proper fight which kicks off further back in the crowd, headbutts and fists flying. There's always been something highly amusing about watching fights between Goths, and this is apparently no exception. Maybe they are arguing over who's got the best patent trousers or the funniest haircut. It must be cool for the Lorries to know that their music can still inspire such chaos. Closing the set with two encores and finishing with the awesome "Chance", the Lorries leave us with noises we never thought we'd hear again ringing in our ears. Speaking to Chris afterwards he seemed genuinely touched by the crowd's reaction and said he was really looking forward to playing more gigs in 2005 - do yourself a favour, try to get to one. SET LIST: Man, they played a LOT of songs!! DIdn't manage to get a complete setlist but they definitely played Talk About The Weather, Spinning Round, Monkeys On Juice, Blow, Jipp, Nothing Wrong, Cut Down, 3 songs off the Black Tracks EP and they finished with Chance. Richy [ November 29th, 2004 ] |