The (International) Noise Conspiracy - London Highbury Garage - 9/5/02
4/5
By: Andy Willson
Name the band in one: a five-piece act from Sweden, wearing matching outfits playing angry punk? Any more clues needed? No? Good, then make your guess... Correct - The (International) Noise Conspiracy! I mean, who else could it have been..?
Incidentally, the Garage was a hive (typical) of activity this evening, complete with star attractions in the audience (Tim and Charlotte from Ash, no less). Despite the pressures and the demands to meet high hopes, INC filtered confidently onto the stage, donning matching T-shirts - admittedly, not quite what we have come to expect from stylish Swedes, but fitting all the same - and kicked the night off with how they'd continue for the next 3/4 of an hour - in full-on, blistering punk-rock mode. Sure, the similarities to The Hives cannot be disregarded; frontman Dennis Lyxzen does on occasion swirl and snarl across the stage like a demented Howlin' Pelle, but - in spite of the other act's hype and funding from Poptones - INC match their fellow countrymen every step of the way.
The unquestionable highlight of the evening is a manic 'Smash It Up', and as they take us through a set, made up of predominantly anti-capitalist tracks (viva la revolution, etc.), one number sees Dennis cut his way through the heaving crowd and perch himself on top of the mixing-desk cage towards the back of the venue, sweat glistening from every pore. Approaching the prospect of closing-time, the band leaves the stage with a one-armed salute to an enthralled audience, but come back for one last number. As this closes, each band member walks off the stage one by one, until all we are left with is a solitary drummer.
On the basis of this performance, and given the slice of luck they deserve, INC should be reaping the same adoration and success as The Hives. However, this is a fickle business and you can't help feeling that those with political leanings aren't as marketable as acts with mere entertainment-value. Hopefully, though, what with The (International) Noise Conspiracy possessing both assets in their favour, the group's future is more than worthy enough to be as secure as the black-shirt, white-tie heroes of latter-2001...
Artists in this article: The (International) Noise Conspiracy
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