Kasabian - Camden Barfly @ Monarch - 12/8/04
5/5
By: Andy Willson
Set-List: 'I.D.', 'Processed Beats', 'Reason is Treason', 'Running Battle', 'Ovary Stripe', 'Cut Off', 'Fifty Five', 'L.S.F.', 'Test Transmission', 'Club Foot'.
The sleepy county of Leicestershire is never going to be quite the same after the emergence of these bastard sons of Britpop.
From a bunker deep beneath a hillside (probably), Kasabian HQ organise their troops, more commonly known as 'The Movement', to take over modern society and infiltrate each and every one of us until we are brainwashed by their scuzz-punk.
For there is menace behind these almost-angelic faces - be very afraid. Never before have the 90's had so much to answer for - this most shamelessly new wave of the British bands draws upon the blood of Oasis and Primal Scream, concocting a potent electronic, guitar-based clamour of its own.
To become an immortal frontman, you need to bear the sort of shameless swagger and ballsy cockiness that'll terrify toddlers and colostomy-bag ridden grandmothers in equal measure. And having followed the likes of Liam and Bobby, you can tell that Tom Meighan has at least done his homework. And passed with flying colours. No
need for a tacky sloganed T-Shirt; just plain white, and a day's stubble will do for this evening.
Kicking off with the ambient drone intro of 'I.D.', the boys effortlessly glide into top gear and send the crowd apeshit. 'Reason is Treason' is huage; 'K - I - L - L', indeed. Next up is 'Running Battle', which sounds more Radiohead than Radiohead themselves, save for some Phil Daniels-barking type vocals. Guitarist Sergio can barely see his adoring fans through his ever-lengthening fringe, but this doesn't detract from the job in hand. Yet our star of the show is Rick; God knows who the hell he is, but he's got to be at least 70 years old. Dressed in a red vest and fetching shorts, he dashes 'round the stage like a loony, tuning and mending battered instruments.
Released this week, like a phial of anthrax, 'L.S.F.' is the highlight of the set and its ferocity blisters the skin of all in attendance. For all that The Cooper Temple Clause have achieved, Kasabian take things that one step further, towards global meltdown. As the final chords of 'Club Foot' ebb away, you finally realise just how loud the set was by the ringing in your ears.
'Viva la movement'? What alternative do we have.
Artists in this article: Kasabian
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