Halloween comes early at Northampton’s Black Prince venue as four practitioners of the dark arts convene on what promises to be one spooky evening. Kicking things off are Bedford’s Cyphon, a three-piece who are new to me, but I’m more than happy to make their acquaintance. It’s true you shouldn’t judge a band by appearance, but when this crew arrive sporting Bauhaus and Godflesh tops, well, you know you’re onto a good thing. Arriving like a surprise uppercut to the jaw, they waste little time on introductions and deliver a powerful, pugnacious set full of punchy songs such as ‘Money For Blood’ and ‘Misery Cycle’ which proves that three really is the magic number.
I’ve been keeping an eye on Chaos Bleak since their first single and it’s been an honour to watch them grow from humble beginnings into an unstoppable juggernaut. Like the ungodly mass in that classic film (The Blob), it’s been an organic expansion and they’ve consumed all in their path with an insatiable appetite. However, tonight is my first time catching them live and opening track (and indeed their whole set) ‘Beneath The Moon’ is just as powerful as its studio counterpart, only with the added oomph of being played live. Like the jackboot of a military junta, Chaos Bleak immediately make their presence felt with vocalist Piers prowling the stage (and floor) as if a caged animal and guitarist Trev delivering every chord like a revolutionary treatise. Wearing their hearts on their collective sleeve a cover of ‘Requiem’ brings their short (but sweet) set to a cataclysmic conclusion.
The musical steamroller that is Chaos Bleak is a hard act to follow but Coventry’s Attrition circumnavigate this roadblock by taking a different route. They’ve been practising their black magick for 45 years and their shows have developed a shamanistic quality which makes their gigs more an occult gathering than mere concert. With Martin Bowes unleashing some unearthly growls and Julia Niblock channelling the voice of a recently departed soul, tonight’s set has the feel of a séance and you can almost see the spirits twirling through the air. Tonight they operate as a trio and they’re obviously happy in their own company, there’s a touch of humour in evidence, some light to contrast the shade, but when it comes to songs such as ‘The Great Derailer’ Attrition are all business and ensure it’ll live long in the memory long after the feedback fades.
Northampton’s very own Venus Fly Trap are the type of band who require constant sustenance; regular gigging fuels the blood that courses through their veins and tonight’s homecoming show, the third and final in a mini tour, finds them in ruddy health. Pumped straight into the main artery, opening shot ‘Morphine’ is just as addictive as when it first dropped almost four decades ago and soon gets the whole crowd locked into a singular groove. With vocalist Alex Novak hanging off the microphone like a demented Jim Morrison and guitarist Andy Denton pulling tight, angular riffs from his guitar ‘Sabotage’ becomes even more tenacious in the live environment and segues nicely into the musical car crash that is ‘Gemini Lounge’.
With four bands on the bill, each act has had to streamline their set list, meaning every group delivered a short, sharp shock and Venus Fly Trap are no exception as they take us on a pillion ride through a neon-lit cityscape on ‘Vitesse’ before launching us into deep space on a cover of Suicide’s ‘Rocket USA’. It’s another cover that closes their set, this time catching The Cramps’ ‘Human Fly’ in their sticky jaws, wrestling ownership and making it their own (which is how all covers should be handled) and ensures that all head home happy.
Venus Fly Trap Set List:
- Morphine
- Sabotage
- Gemini Lounge
- Vitesse
- Pressure Drop
- Rocket USA
- Human Fly
