The Rapture - London Koko - 17/10/2006
4/5
By: Keri Kennedy
"This is the most beautiful place we've played a gig," states Luke Jenner as he exits the stage. Almost every band I've witnessed play at Camden's delightful Koko has said the very same thing. It does become a very pretty place when the giant disco ball sends twinkling stars around the venue. However the sound of The Rapture isn't pretty; it's filthy, gritty and on a knife edge, and they've just brought the place to a frenzied house party, and it's only Tuesday. With a 15-strong set weighted heavily towards 2003's 'Echoes' (of which the crowd seem more into than the new material), 'Heaven' turns into a feedback fused rock out, while bassist and fellow vocalist Mattie brings on a call and response from the crowd for the chorus of 'Sister Savior'. Old classic (well, they are on their third LP) 'Out Of The Races...' is met with riotous applause and sees Luke straining his vocal chords to the limit, throwing his whole body into the song.
Continuing with a few newbies, most of which have a lighter and poppy edge, The Devil is pure 70s disco, Mattie wiggles away like a manic nodding dog, his body, head and hands all moving to a different beat. He seems to be having his own party in his head, with a knowing grin he's almost overshadowing Luke's painfully high vocal punctuated with climactic panting and squeals.
Get Myself Into It almost takes you to the promo video's roller disco, while upcoming single 'Whoo! Alright! Yeah! Uh Huh...' again has Mattie working the crowd with his funky yet borderline cheesy bassline, and Gabriel losing himself amongst his cowbells. 'House of Jealous Lovers', as usual, sends the crowd into a stupor, The Rapture could probably play it 15 times over and no-one would care, and nothing so far can top it. A medley follows midway through 'Echoes', Luke chants through the choruses of 'Heaven' and 'House Of Jealous Lovers' while dancing like someone's dad. Now, we're all aware he's recently become a father, maybe he can't help it, but it's a bit like Shaggy from Scooby Doo attempting body popping.
They close with the most appropriately titled song for years, 'The Sound', which is exactly that. Any more noise and our ears would bleed. Luke thrashes his guitar, creating waves of feedback, and it's a perfect hybrid of distorted rock and hardcore dance; in short it's brilliant. Returning with Luke sporting a red cape for the encore, they shimmy through the calypso funk of 'Down For So Long', however a rare rendition of the 2003 version of 'Olio' finally does the job of topping 'House Of Jealous Lovers'. With Mattie on keys and Vito in the background on the drum machine, it's a whole new level, the bone-shaking bass and Luke's desperate haunting wail prove that no matter what end of the scale they are at, bleak and miserable or happy-go-lucky pop, The Rapture know for sure how to bring a crowd to its knees.
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment