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Sold-out within days of going on sale, the prospect
of seeing two of London’s elite garage rock bands playing
together at one of the capital’s most intimate venues
had been billed as the ‘gig of the week’ by many in-the-know.
With The Beatings kicking off their first UK tour to
promote the release of their debut single, ‘Jailhouse’,
and The Black Madonnas looking to capitalise on their
recent press coverage in style-bibles The Face and Sleazenation,
the gig was a war of white noise.
The Black Madonnas quickly drew first blood taking to
the stage for a blistering, adrenaline packed car-crash
of a set. Leading from the front were the twin guitars
and vocals of Fancy Smith and LA ‘The Devil’ Whetter
spewing out a verbal and musical assault on the wary
and startled crowd.
Commanding a stage presence that held the gaze of the
entire venue, the audience was left open-mouthed and
slightly confused following an inexplicably inspired
Fancy Smith overhaul of the Gwen Guthrie disco classic
‘Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent’. Measured, calculated
and undeniably brilliant, it was the moment the band
moved their set to another level.
Following on from their soon-to-be-released debut single
‘The White Sands’ The Madonnnas ended on the song that
will lead the UK invasion of garage rock – the aptly
titled ‘Garage Rock’. This immediate classic which carries
the chorus ‘Garage Rock, Garage Roll, Garage Music’s
gonna free your soul’ was brought to close when Fancy
trashed his guitar in a manner that can only be described
as ‘beautifully tasteful’. In an age when this type
of seasoned action is often deemed as contrived and
embarrassing, Fancy possesses that natural rock ‘n’
roll attitude that makes this final act a thrilling
and refreshing conclusion.
The Beatings, with the added advantage of being the
headliners and having at least three songs in circulation
that the crowd will know, took the stage with the expected
swagger of the night’s big act.
Navigating the first few songs skilfully enough to get
the crowd moving to their own pace and rhythm, the band
kicked in with ‘one for the crowd’ and busted their
way through ‘The Other Side’, one of the b-sides to
their single. An instant crowd pleaser, it wasn’t long
before the dual vocal and guitar assault of Nick (aka
Jack Knife) and Matt gave the crowd ‘the single’.
‘Jailhouse’ epitomises what garage rock is, was and
should be. The Beatings’ take on garage rock is not
watered down for the consumption of the mass audiences
- which is probably why The Libertines were signed to
Rough Trade ahead of themselves. However, The Beatings
have the same global appeal as The Who and The Clash
did back when they were fighting off the trappings of
commercial, mainstream music and gaining huge success
because they were ‘real’.
There’s no escaping how raw The Beatings sound at times,
but they never come across as being anything but an
amazingly powerful and full-throttle band and on tonight’s
performance should have no trouble showing the US and
the rest of the world what a ‘real’ garage rock band
sounds like.
The Beatings single ‘Jailhouse’ is out now on Fantastic
Plastic and the band’s first headlining tour is on the
road now:
24th July Barfly, Sheffield
25th July Barfly, Glasgow
24th July Reading Festival
25th July Leeds Festival
The Black Madonnas debut single ‘The White Sands’ is
released in August on Monocle 78 and the band headline
the Monocle 78 roster at Birmingham Academy on 10th
August.
©Picture taken by Joe Dilworth Marc Sallis for Crud Magazine 2002©
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| 04/02 1 Giant Leap - My Culture
04/02 Elfpower Interview - Andrew Rieger - Creatures
04/02 Frou Frou Interview - Guy Sigsworth/Imogen Heap
04/02 Gomez Interview - Ian Ball
04/02 Idlewild - Live - London Astoria
04/02 K's Choice Interview
04/02 Leaves - Live - Camden Dingwall
04/02 Longwave Interview - Exit
04/02 Lucy Mongrel Interview
04/02 Oasis - The Hindu Times
04/02 Phantom Planet - Interview
04/02 Unwritten Law - Interview
04/02 VUE - Coordinates Interview
05/02 BRMC - LIve - Kentish Town, London
05/02 Breeders - Title K
05/02 FC Kahuna - Machine Says Yes
05/02 Moco - Live - London Monarch
05/02 Need New Body - Interview
05/02 The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Live - Soundhause, Northampton
05/02 The Bellrays - Meet The Bellrays
06/02 Fleadh Festival - Finsbury Park
06/02 Frou Frou Coordinates Interview
06/02 Incubus - Interview - Mark Einziger
06/02 North Mississippi Allstars - Interview
06/02 Papa Roach - She Loves Me Not
06/02 Proud Mary - Live - Northampton, Soundhaus
06/02 Pulp - Live - Sherwood Pines, Edwinstowe
06/02 Reindeer section - You Are My Joy
06/02 Silverchair - Diorama
|  | 06/02 Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window
06/02 Soinc Youth - Interview
06/02 The Burn - The Smiling Face
06/02 The Coral - Live - Roadmender, Northampton
06/02 The LIbertines - Live - The Social, Nottingham
06/02 The Vines, Sheffield Leadmill
06/02 Trik Turner - Interview
06/02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live, Soundhaus, Northampton
07/02 12 Stones Interview
07/02 Arolo -Interview
07/02 Buy To Let Doncaster - Anti Social Behaviour
07/02 Cassius - Interview
07/02 Farrah - Interview
07/02 Glassjaw - Interview
07/02 Neil Michael Haggerty - Interview
07/02 Hoobastank - Running Away
07/02 Leaves - Interview
07/02 LL Cool Jay Interview
07/02 Oasis - Live - Finsbury Park, London
07/02 Polyphonic Spree - Live - Camden Monarch
07/02 Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
07/02 Super Furry Animals - Interview
07/02 The Beatings - Live - Metro Club London
07/02 The Bellrays + The D4 - Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street London
January 2001
July - August 2001
September - October 2001
November - December 2001
January - March 2002
April - July 2002
August - December 2002 | |
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