GIG REVIEW – Psychotic Monks, Cannibal Animal, Dense @ Yes, Manchester
Been to Yes before – great food – expensive beer – venue upstairs that is a small but pretty soulless square room, but deep below; in the basement, there’s an underworld where only courageous angels dare to tread.
Tonight you have to be very brave for you are about to be sonically assaulted. This is where senses you never knew existed are about to be scrambled…
Leading that charge are Dense from Leeds… [pic above by tracey howarth] Launching their split single courtesy of Come Play With Me Records, Fever Dream is 4 minutes of transonic bliss. On stage, this 3-piece bring about the business of tearing a rift in the space/time continuum with the sole purpose of destroying it. Dylan and Sam keep time and expend energy while Charlie holds his in reserve until he opens his mouth to let out a rasping tirade…
Cannibal Animal do nothing short of upping the ante with a frightening and frantic performance. They’re not a pretty band and vocalist, Luke is a crazed terrier on steds, screaming quite literally at you. You watch with an element of peril; not quite sure how things are going to pan out… Am I going to get assaulted watching this? Effortless cool guitaring comes to the fore as the band smashed you in the face and grabbed you by the throat… Superb…
Not knowing anything about The Psychotic Monks apart from they’re from France, I was expecting something of a similar vein along this addictive genre. However; this was something else; it wasn’t a set, it was theatre full of feeling. Each band member had their part and took turns to play the lead role. They all limbered up beforehand – almost yoga-esq before a very long keyboard intro that built on the atmospherics of what was to come… Almost Sun O))) almost Swans, definitely beautiful noise yes? Then they let rip – it’s noisecore, braincore, corecore – it was a sight and sound to behold. There’s a Howard Devoto/Tom Verlaine lookalike mental institute escapee on guitar. He often threw himself into the part and into the wall..! The long-haired drummer and other (intense) guitarist went from free form jazz to avant-garde to punk rock; quite often in the same song. Orchestrating this fucked-up show was the keyboard/bassist who had pain, love, admiration and pride in his eyes.
This wasn’t a gig, this was a spectacle – overwhelming – heartwarming – soaring – enthralling – fantastic – scary and wrenching – all in one.
