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By Joe Dowling, Wednesday 23rd February 2005 04.10pm (938 views)
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65 DAYS OF STATIC @ ULU, London
Date: 21st February 2005
Support: Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies, Redjetson
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The cold and snowy conditions haven’t stopped a few hundred of London’s most switched on youngsters coming to check out three of the healthy UK underground scene’s rising acts. First up Essex 6 piece Redjetson are perhaps too chilled for this time of the evening. They’re a band you’d probably want to listen to when you get home drunk at two in the morning. With three guitarists and lilting, delay soaked melodies you might expect the mix to be muddy. In fact its absolutely crystal clear, one of the best live mixes I’ve heard in awhile and this only adds to the lullabye effect. However, they do have some more rock out moments. These impact well but the live energy and intensity of other bands around is missing. Out now on Drowned In Sound records, I look forward to hearing debut album ‘New General Catelogue’ but am in no hurry to catch them live again soon.
It’s hard to make up ones mind about Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies. They’re clearly popular in this part of London, in fact the crowd is slightly bigger than for tonight’s headliners, and much of the audience seem to know their set well. Singer Andrew Mears has a useful voice that only features intermittedly, the band often favoring instrumental parts. Ymss are clearly pretty young, with an average age of 21, and they don’t sound quite as tight on this big stage as they probably do at their local flea pit. However, these guys clearly have an ability to write songs that goes well beyond their years and I am keen to listen to some of their recordings. Currently on Fierce Panda, the spawning ground for many good English bands (and many long forgotten), it will be interesting to see how they progress.
It’s only been about six months since 65 days of static came to my attention but in that time they’ve gone along way. Whilst not gaining all that much recognition yet in the major music press, most underground publications have been unified in their praise. A hectic schedule of live shows has also been helping build a solid following, as have sessions on Xfm and Radio one.
Their debut album, ‘The Fall Of Math’ (out now on trendy independent Monotreme records), may have picked up many album of the year nominations but 65 Days are all about the live show. The passion this band has is like an aura and few bands play with such intensity, Biffy Clyro being one of those few. Musically its best to describe them as a meeting between Aphex Twin and Mogwai, but any comparisons are lazy as 65 Days are one of the most original bands around.
It’s obvious that they put everything into each show, with spokesman/guitarist Joe so breathless in between each song that he can hardly get the words out. Songs like ‘Retreat, Retreat and ‘This Cat is a Landmine’ sound great on record but really come alive on stage. Walls of guitars are infused with dirty beats, breakdowns and parts so intense you feel instrument smashing can be the only logical next step. 65 days play an eight song set lasting around 40 minutes and unfortunately seem too exhausted to play an encore. They close the set with the last song on the album, ‘Aren’t We All Running’ and leave the crowd to start looking forward to next time.
For more information you can visit: http://www.65daysofstatic.com
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