Splendid Helmets Weather
by Bob Osborne. 19.07.10.
Take one city edge pub– in the right city mind you– add three bands, around 150 punters, several dozen gallons of laughing juice and mix liberally.
Last Saturday night Helmets for Men (Edition 4) temporarily relocated to the faded bohemian decadence of The Kings Arms, with its glitter balls, psychedelic video wall and peeling paint, and it was hot and frankly, a tad sweaty. Add our own sartorially elegant (or is it eloquent) Mr J Coupe on announcing and you have the recipe for a wonderful evening.
First up, Black Horror, a rather strangely attired young gentleman - a bank clerk on the run from some institution or another, a young lady on the Cynthia Size A, and the enigma that is Adrian Anthony Flanagan on black boxes and knobs – more of this rapscallion later. How to describe? Intense techno dance type electronica stuff with more attitude than
Ross Kemp with a dodgy kebab in his mitts.
Middle Order – the exceptional
Kin – stunning is too small a word to describe this performance, I’ve decided they are the new “fab four” with their complete sound – tight as a ducks chuff and breathtakingly exciting. Kin’s voice is unique and compelling – you either love it or you don’t – as with most iconoclasts she breaks several moulds at once. Neck arched, guitar distressed, and stunning delivery - add the muscular bass of Mr. Ding, Howard’s effortlessly superb drumming and Jonnatron’s technical wizardry and you have the perfect live experience. If you have not caught this band live then I suggest you do before mega-stardom drags them away from our local venues.
Finale time -the force of nature that is the Arch Nazards. Where to begin? Well there is the athletically busy Mr Lee Mann on the bass whose raison d’etre appears to be audience participation, and looking as cool as Mr Cool the cool person in his dapper attire. And then there’s the songs which are insanely catchy - whether it’s the new tune, whose title I am not aware of - but which was featured on Facebook recently, and involves a melodica solo, or the “chart hit written all over it” – Thee Sting, or maybe the closing reconstruction of ONJ’s “Let’s Get Physical” – whatever, this is band with fun written through it like a stick of Sheffield Rock .
Add guitar, two keyboards and a trumpet playing drummer and you have something rather special indeed. But the centre is the brooding, sensual, menace that is Adrian Flanagan, who has more stage presence than James Brown, more coolness than a Foxes Glacier Mint Bear, and the song-writing ability of Motown’s best teams. A man who can turn a crowd with an insouciant flick of his titfer. An excellent performance which closed a wonderful evening of entertainment.
Kudos to those Helmets people – next one is August 7th – get there early; it will be busy.
*All photos by Renee Byrne. I thank you.