Science Ninja Team, Oh Fuck, Metronomy // Pressure Point

Steve’s a guy in my writer’s group. He’s written 20 novels, wrote a Guardian feature about the air guitar championship, works with asylum seekers, and is a smart sensitive guy. He’s also in a punk/thrash indie band. I went down to a charity gig he was running a few months back, only to miss his band, due to a conflict in gig’s. I legged it from the Freebutt over to the Pressure Point, and by the time friend #2’s band came on, I knew Science Ninja Team were probably already packed up and at the pub. I’d heard good things from friends who stayed. They said the lyrics were quirky and my housemate even bought a CD. Quirky? Prog math rock maybe. So this time, I promised myself not to miss this gig.

Some things are not meant to be. Wednesday was the day my friend Aisha was here from the States and she’d organised a big birthday meal at the Pond. Stopping there first, I did a quick “how are you? Happy birthday”, promised to return in an hour, then raced down the hill towards PP. When I got there, the doors weren’t even open so I had a drink downstairs with Steve and the band. He seemed a bit nervous, but he explained that he was getting over a cold. “There’s band politics too,” he said. Their guitarist had left the band, but they forced him to play the gig as a contractual thing. “Is he the guy with the big hair?” I asked, remembering a guy sitting outside, sipping a beer and looking famously untouchable with his over-sized black sunglasses. “Yup,” Steve said, his eyes looking upwards.

When we went upstairs, I was surprised to see a good number of people already in there. For a Wednesday and an indie night, I couldn’t imagine who would turn up. But I am not an indie person, so I shouldn’t be surprised by anything.

Science Ninja Tune were already on, and I have to say my second surprise of the night was to see Steve in dark Buddy Holly glasses and a black shirt and black tie – and screaming. To his left was the recently departed guitarist, who looked like an even grumpier version of Slash. To his right was someone’s dad on bass and General Midi on keyboards. Random. The next song’s slow start was a teaser – a punk rock drumbeat crashed through the ceiling like a baby grand piano and Steve was punching out screams over this. The third song I really liked. It was like Nitzer Ebb with its militaristic, almost gabba-ish beats accompanied by Johnny Rotten on vocals. It was a bass-heavy song, with dark undertones that made me feel like I was in an underground bunker listening to Joy Division in the 80s.

Moving swiftly on, the band did an ironic Brit Pop piss take of J-Lo’s “Jenny on the Block”, which was hilarious and atrocious at the same time. Steve mumbled to the crowd after the song was done. “Uh, we’re not going to do that one,” he said, shaking his head at his band mates. “Because nobody like political songs anymore.” Their last song was an alternative A-team song with its 80s keyboard synths and shouty lyrics. My favorite. The bassist’s E string popped during the song, but he kept playing anyway. Overall, this band is dark, reminiscent of an era full of depravity and wealth and the music that fought back. This band is not for the weak-hearted. Unless you’ve got razor blades on your steel-toes.

Oh Fuck are a Canadian cross-over band, fucking up electro, house, bass, and whatever they can get their pretty little hands on to make into music. The two main guys stood over what looked like lab tables, but were actually mixing boards with different sized keyboards, midis, and mixers, all taped together with some gaffer tape and a bit of string. Behind them was a sharp drummer who played with the precision of a session drummer and a tight receptive bassist. The lead man announced that this was the last gig of their tour and politely invited everyone to enjoy the show.

I didn’t know what to expect of the band except that when I asked Steve earlier why they were called Oh Fuck, he looked at me and smiled. “Because that’s what people say when they hear them.” Oh. Their first song was very electronic (think Orbital) which suddenly switched gear and sounded like a tits up house song with cool breaks. Next we hear the start of the Super Mario Brothers theme tune, then the boys jump into another electronica song that’s a lot like Chemical Brothers. I swear one of them pulls out a brick telephone and starts punching numbers in. Interesting. Song # 3 starts out slow and dubby. I stare and watch the drummer. He’s really good.

Before song # 4 starts, the main guy holds a keyboard over his head. “I bought this at Snoopers Paradise today, but I don’t think it works. I’ll give it a go anyway.” I listen to the noise as I stare at the tattoo on the inside of his arm. Song # 5 (sorry – no one has song names these days) is SICKSICKSICK. Like sick as in good, okay? It was pure live breaks. I nearly fell over laughing when I saw the throng of indie kids in the front trying to dance. Like, why don’t they just go to a breaks night or something if they want to hear this? It’s at this point that I’m saying “oh fuck these guys are good” inside and wonder if the gig was not marketed properly. This band has a larger audience scope than the indie scene. The sixth and final song is a tribute to all that is poppy and ethereal, a sort of Stereolab sound. If I didn’t have to make a quick dash back to the Pond, I surely would have floated away.

That’s about all I have to say because I didn’t stay to see the last band, Metronomy, but it was definitely a blindingly good night out. PS. The sound quality of Holy Fuck’s myspace page doesn’t do their songs enough justice, honestly.

“Find something in the trash… plug it in”
Holy Fuck are Brian Borcherdt, Kevin Lynn, Graham Walsh, Glenn Milchem, and Loel Campbell and they live in Toronto. http://www.myspace.com/holyfuck

“Like a cat out of Hell”
Science Ninja Team are Andy, Steve, and Matt and they live in Brighton. http://www.myspace.com/thescienceninjateam

Pressure Point
Currently no Website

33 Richmond Place
Brighton
BN2 9NA
01273 684501

Words: Amy the Film Maker