The Chameleons | The Membranes | Imaginative and prescient Video
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
seventh December 2024
The Chameleons carried out a blistering set at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, within the course of revealing that one of many most interesting bands of the post-punk period nonetheless have loads to say with their irrepressible melodies, nimble basslines, shimmering guitars, and intriguing lyrics.
The Chameleons have simply scorched by Monkeyland, completely nailing the music’s flick of the swap transformations between funereal and riotous whereas a bouncing Shepherd’s Bush Empire viewers shout alongside to pivotal line “it’s only a trick of the sunshine”. The band are about to leap right into a sweeping Second Pores and skin. However first Mark Burgess takes a second to talk about the worth of making and relishing life experiences. “Thanks for supporting dwell music,” he concludes. “It’s one of many best experiences.”
Admittedly not all gigs are created equal. However, on the idea of this night, he’s not mistaken.
All of it begins with Imaginative and prescient Video, fronted by a former firefighter, US Military veteran, and ardent The Chameleons fan. Dusty Gannon speaks articulately in regards to the cruelty and futility of struggle, his private struggles with PTSD, and the “fashionable horror” of his dwelling nation (as mirrored within the band’s newest album title). These themes recur within the edgy synth-goth songs themselves.
Menacing opener Useless Gods challenges the spiritual fanaticism that justifies conflicts; pounding Balaclava Kiss tackles far-right fascism; the gloom-jangle of Kandahar options the road “Did you see the damaged our bodies mendacity there? We’re getting good at constructing hell”. The glistening Keep is a plea to stay round within the face of psychological well being crises, whereas In My Facet is presumably probably the most hummable music about being stabbed within the again. Nestled between these originals, the trio rip into Transmission by Gannon’s “second favorite band from Manchester”. Much less angular than Pleasure Division’s authentic, it sounds simply as frenetic and determined. A triumph.
Nestled between the openers and the headliners, The Membranes are “in one of the best music sandwich tonight”, declares their high-kicking bass-wrangling mohawked singer John Robb. They supply the proper filling with a set combining standouts from their two most up-to-date LPs, a stone-cold basic, and three model new songs. They begin, fittingly, with the massive bang that’s The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Protons Of White Gentle, the frontman barely standing nonetheless and utilizing the instrumental breakdown to succeed in out to the entrance rows (whereas nonetheless taking part in with the opposite hand) and lead the group in shouts of “hey”. The rolling thunder of Darkish Power provides menace however continues the viewers participation with synchronised clapping, whereas What Nature Offers… Nature Takes Away (devoted to “anybody who’s immersed in nature”) serves as an ominous reminder of our precarious future.
The chanted Snow Monkey combines punk aggression with a pure historical past lesson simply because the instrumental sections of Deep In The Forest The place The Recollections Linger let Robb, guitarist Peter Byrchmore, keyboard participant Amelia Chain, and drummer Mike Simkins stretch their legs. And though Myths And Legends, the one inclusion from earlier than their 2010 reunion, is spikier, its rising outro once more showcases the musicians’ talents. The punchier new tracks are not any much less spectacular. Spooky Dancing appropriately has a really danceable groove, rhythmic vocal supply, and ghostly guitar solo. The very fast Dracula’s Daughter boasts an extremely chunky Byrchmore riff. And, regardless of being written so just lately it doesn’t actually have a title but, the ultimate new one could also be one of the best of the bunch: irrepressible melody, nimble bassline, and intriguing lyrics.
The headliners’ catalogue is full of loads of all three. Simply hearken to the opening seconds of their set opener, Mad Jack: a glowing guitar riff is rapidly joined by Burgess’ bouncing taking part in and distinct voice hovering by the strains “He’s chilly to the kiss/ In ignorance he’s harmful/ In innocence he’s bliss”. The elegant Warning, additionally from set-dominating debut album Unusual Instances, slows the tempo a little bit, however provides extra musical shimmer and lyrical darkness (“We have now no future, we’ve got no previous” posits the opening line).
The wiry The Fan And The Bellows — their report firm’s authentic choose for debut single and now refreshed and re-recorded for brand spanking new EP Tomorrow Bear in mind Yesterday — and equally resurrected Each Day I’m Crucified maintain their very own in a set that continues with the chiming Wanting Inwardly and early spotlight Tears. One other shapeshifter, its light parts spotlight the tight guitar interaction between authentic member Reg Smithies and Stephen Rice, whereas the extensive open stretches, the place Todd Demma’s drums actually kick in, let Burgess’ voice fly.
Much more epic is Soul In Isolation, which segues into an hypnotic breakdown that interpolates snippets from, amongst others, The Doorways’ The Finish and The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby earlier than slowly constructing to an intense finale that options The Smiths’ There Is a Gentle That By no means Goes Out. It’s performances like this that possible impressed Burgess to inform Louder Than Warfare earlier this 12 months: “I don’t imply any disrespect to those that I’ve performed with up till now — I’ve respect for all of them. However I really feel that that is one of the best band I’ve ever performed in.”
They proceed to show the singer’s level on the likes of Swamp Factor and — with its towering ending — Ever After. However it’s in the course of the encore that all the things actually takes off, as if it was all constructing as much as this. One of many first new songs from The Chameleons in over 20 years, the swaggering The place Are You?, bodes properly for the forthcoming album, Arctic Moon, and triggers a stellar run of In Shreds (with Demma drumming like he hasn’t simply performed an entire set), that scorching Monkeyland, and sweeping Second Pores and skin. Midway in the course of the latter, keyboard participant Danny Ashberry takes over on bass, liberating Burgess up to make use of his arms to emote and actually join with the viewers on strains like “I dedicate this melody, to you”. When he delivers the chorus “No surprise I really feel like I’m floating on air”, arms outstretched, he absolutely speaks for us all.
Don’t Fall, with that jagged guitar riff, flies even larger and climaxes with Burgess belting out the night time’s closing few strains from the barrier. And, as younger and previous mosh with equal enthusiasm up entrance, it’s clear The Chameleons are nonetheless greater than able to creating among the best experiences.
You will discover The Chameleons on their web site in addition to Fb and Instagram.
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Phrases by Nils van der Linden. You possibly can go to his writer profile for Louder Than Warfare right here and his web site right here.
Photographs by Naomi Dryden-Smith – Louder Than Warfare | Fb | Twitter | Instagram | portfolio
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