aaamusic | On 07, Jun 2011

[cincopa AoPAcl6A3zyp]

London, 1st June

A week of Art Brut at the Lexington – 1 June 2011, with The Winter Olympics, Ezra Furman and The Harpoons

Oh well, we all know Art Brut and their quirky powerful funny performances. I decided to see them Wednesday night, being curious about support band Ezra Furnam and the Harpoons.

It was a lucky night. You know, one of those nights when you just know it’s going to be pure, simple fun.

I always go early at Lexington to enjoy a drink about 1h earlier than every gig. It’s quiet then and I easily find a seat downstairs while having a laugh reading The Stool Pigeon (http://www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk/).

This time however, there were no seats available.

– Hmm, I thought, this is damn unusual.

I had to stand by the bar. Indeed, a small crowd of people was already there and some formed a line to buy or collect the tickets.

The gig started with The Winter Olympics. I didn’t know them at all, a pleasant surprise. Lead singer Andrew Wagstaff, a true smiling Viking character on stage, and his mates – all in James Murphy’ white shirt and black tie style – set things on fire. A dance punk  (not only fashion connects them to LCD Soundsystem) with intervals of jokes, interaction with the audience and a bunch of songs that you want to play at your summer backyard party.

I Miss The Nineties and Attention All Departments made all of us jump around, while signing the birthday card for Simon (drums).

Ah, yes we all sang the happy birthday song for Simon.

Applause.

At the end of the gig a guy from the band’s crew walked around the venue asking: – Did you like the Winter Olympics? And he sold me two EP’s for 5£.

Next act. Ezra Furman, this young scruffy American with his sunglasses – constantly sliding down his nose – and a mischievous face started his frolicking performance. He couldn’t keep his red guitar strap on his shoulder and I thought he was going to fall at any moment as the strap was dangerously hanging back at his legs while he was playing animatedly.

He didn’t fall. They played a great list of alternative folk and rock and roll songs from their three albums. Energetic “Antisocial” lines and love tunes, poetic and passionate narrative… You can see Bob Dylan (the one of Blonde on Blonde) right there: his nasal voice, his fascinating stage presence, the harmonica. The Chicago band just released their last album called Mysterious Power, good stuff. After singing along Take Off Your Sunglasses, I tried to speak to him shortly after the gig, but he seemed the shyest person on earth, oh he sings I Wanna Be Ignored, right.

Art Brut is Top of the Pops. Eddie Argos dominated on stage with his stature, his sexy belly (Yes, he opened his shirt and showed us his secret beauties), his peculiar voice and thick British accent. As always he interrupted his songs. Talked to the audience, told us stories, air-kicked when music exploded. It was all loud and amusing. I’m not sure he followed the track list. He asked for requests, people shouted song titles and obviously turned to be a mix of old great tunes. My Little Brother who just discovered rock and roll, the first love Emily Kane, 18000 Lira, St. Pauli together with some tracks from the new album Brilliant! Tragic!

News from the new record. Eddie decided it was time to sing. Honestly I didn’t notice the evolution during the gig, his unique style, his pub ranting style that smells of alcohol was there also in the new songs, honest and oddly brutal as used to be. He’s not a Bad Comedian, Eddie keeps the innocence of the teenager rock lover and shares it all with the audience. Imagination.

L.A. and earthquakes, abandoned islands, dreaming flights and the graceful microphone wire skipping.

It’s not just music, it’s a play, and it’s art.

We don’t know how psychic Eddie Argos is. Is passion for rock psychic?

Author: Pietro Nastasi

Photos: Nishi Tamrakar