GIG REVIEW: Dirty Projectors/Male Bonding @ KOKO, London

This one-off London show was something that I couldn’t risk missing. With Bitte Orca Dirty Projectors produced one of our favourite albums of last year and probably one of my favourite songs ever written in the soul-soothing “Stillness is the Move”. Though to be fair, with a supporting set from Male Bonding, who made my favourite album this year, there was no way I would miss the chance to catch both in one night.

Male Bonding kicked off the proceedings with minimal fuss, diving into a setlist full of the highlights from Nothing Hurts. The Dalston-based three-piece sounded heavier than before, ferociously playing, almost attacking, their instruments. It was an intense, incredibly tight set, with little pause between songs and the almost empty floor soon filled to the brim with a loud, appreciative crowd. It was a performance, that much like those I saw in Newbury and at OFFSET festival earlier this year, helped to reaffirm why I love their album so much, why they are definitely one of the bands of 2010. Highlights included “All Things This Way”, “Weird Feelings”, “Nothing Remains” and of course, “Year’s Not Long”. I definitely recommend that you pick up the album, if I haven’t drummed that into your skull enough already, as soon as humanly possible and also take any opportunity to see them live. They’re playing one last show this year, to celebrate the release of their “Nothing Remains” 7″ with Mazes, at Upset The Rhythm, before recording the second album. If you can go, be sure to!

Male Bonding – Rehearsal Song (Demo Version of “Paradise Vendors”)

After a short interlude, in which buying a drink meant losing my place near the front, Dirty Projectors descended upon the stage. The performing troupe filled out the stage, going straight into a set that was, thankfully, full of songs from Bitte Orca. I’ll admit now, I haven’t listened to any material prior that album’s release. A bad thing, I know, as even those songs of which I wasn’t familiar, I found myself bobbing, swaying or at least tapping my feet along and have convinced me to listen to more of the back catalogue. It’s the kind of music that compels nothing but some kind of compassion and positive feeling, that was definitely manifest in a crowd that acted as some kind of big-grinning chorus. Everyone looked ridiculously happy.

It was astonishing, to say the least, understandably, I was just happy that I hadn’t passed up the chance to see them. For me, highlights included songs like “Temecula Sunrise”, ” The Bride”, “Useful Chamber” and the prior-mentioned “Stillness is the Move”. There must be special mention also for the encore, which started with Bitte Orca’s first track, “Cannibal Resource”, which live, had a bassline so unbelievably sexy that I was convinced to stay as opposed to leaving early to dodge the crowds. Seriously though, Dirty Projectors brought more than I ever could have expected to their live performance, not just songs that replicated their brilliance in a live setting but a performance that was astounding and made me feel lucky to witness it. It’s also made me stick “Stillness is the Move” on repeat again.

I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine (Bob Dylan Cover)

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