The Joy Formidable - Rough Trade East, London – 12/7/11
3/5
By: Joe Daniels
Stepping onto a make-shift stage littered with abacuses and baubles, The Joy Formidable seem a bit confused: Frontwoman Ritzy Bryan makes introductory remarks about not doing many in-stores, drummer Matt Thomas breaks out in nervous giggles, and it takes an age to get the instruments in tune. It all amounts to a rather underwhelming opening to what should be a barnstorming celebration/promotion of their new Roarities E.P. However, any qualms in the band’s ability quickly dissipate when they launch into ‘A Heavy Abacus’ – a fitting opening given just how big it sounds in such a small room and the curious set-design.
Bryan is an imposing frontwoman throughout, able to belt out the teen-angst soaked choruses whilst pogoing around like mad on a stage with no room for it. ‘Austere’ sounds even more thumping live, and it’s enough to get a crowd of early-evening shoppers to shed their self-consciousness and jump about like the angry teenagers they once were.
Sadly, it’s another break from the tunes that causes another audience lull, this to raffle of seats at their dinner table afterwards. It’s a nice touch, going for curry on Brick Lane with the fans, but it’s not nearly as engaging as it must have seemed in their heads, and halfway through the band and the crowd look bored.
Thankfully, the energy is dutifully restored with a raucous rendition of ‘Buoy’, complete with Bryan throwing herself against a gong (a gong! In a shop!), and set-closer ‘Whirring’ sees the band go all-out-rock-n-roll, making the clichéd smashing of instruments seem as much fun as it must’ve been in the sixties.
An impressive display, then, of what The Joy Formidable can do: able to play a tiny gig with the lights on in the afternoon without losing an iota of their reputed live energy. That is, until they pause to speak.
Artists in this article: The Joy Formidable
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