SLANT + GENE POOL + THE MIGHTY ORCHID KING – HOPE AND RUIN, BRIGHTON 23.3.22
I first saw Slant quite by chance at the Victorious Festival in Southsea (Read the review HERE). I was in earshot of one of the smaller stages and hearing some rather fabulous music, I had to go and see what it was, and it was Slant.
Tonight’s gig is supported (and being filmed) by BIMM (Brighton Institute of Modern Music), so I assumed a certain calibre of act would be playing. I was not to be disappointed.
Proceedings are opened by The Mighty Orchid King. They have a standard classic rock line-up of two guitars, bass and drums, with one of the guitarists also playing synth, and the addition of a sax player. Sonically they remind me of Brian Eno era Roxy Music. The drummer, somewhat unusually, handles most of the lead vocals and sounds a little like Secret Machines vocalist Brandon Curtis. They really are rather good.
Early on in their set they have “a bass drum malfunction”, and the rest of the band play an interesting jam whilst another bass drum is set up. It later transpires that the drummer with this band and Slant’s drummer are brother and sister. I suspect that this drummer got a sisterly telling off later!
However, they crack on. Their playing is virtuosic. I am beyond impressed. They play musical interludes between each song. At no point in the set is there any opportunity for the audience’s attention to wander. As well as early Roxy influences, there are traces of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart too. This would be good music to listen to whilst ‘expanding your mind’. At one point the drummer and the rest of the band appear to be playing in differing time signatures. It somehow works!
Check out their ‘Bail Me Out’ single HERE and find their other work on Bandcamp.
Next up are Gene Pool who we reviewed last year – Read our account HERE. They are a seven piece comprising two guitarist/vocalists, a bassist, drummer and two backing vocalists. They are all in spectacular make-up and costumes apart from one of the backing vocalists, who clearly didn’t get the email about tonight’s dress code.
They produce fabulously trashy rock ‘n’ roll positioned somewhere between The Tubes, The Cramps and The Rocky Horror Show. One of the guitarists looks like the cross-dressing bastard son of Roy Wood. Gene Pool would be a brilliant night out in their own right. Unfortunately though they have no further gigs planned at present as they are on the look-out for a bass player. So if any of you four (or five) string bass-slingers have a yearning to play in costume and make-up, you can apply via the band’s Facebook page. Hurry up – we need more gigs from them!!!
Check them out on Bandcamp HERE and visit their ‘linktree’ HERE for further information.
Slant who we last encountered with Thumper at The Prince Albert last October (Review HERE) are former students at BIMM and recorded a single called ‘Go Out Girl’ there last year. When I saw them at Victorious Festival they seemed to be influenced by late 1960s west coast rock more than anything else. What I’m hearing more of tonight on their second date of four in celebration of their new ‘My Friends Are All Machines’ EP tour is late 1970s Bowie and 1980s Kate Bush. Also they seemed to have tightened up an awful lot on all fronts. They are far sharper than before. They don’t just know how to sound good, their stagecraft has come on in leaps and bounds in the past few months. The guitarist comes up with some very impressive ‘Frippertronics’. Robert Fripp (of King Crimson) would be proud.
Their material is very impressive. There’s some pertinent social commentary, especially during ‘Do You Live Within Your Means’ (“when you buy your 75” TV screen”). However, they’re not above doing cover versions. They do a fabulous version of The Runaways’ ‘Cherry Bomb’. They absolutely own it. Their final song (apart from a fast and punky encore) features a recording of Boris Johnson announcing the lockdown restrictions – more social commentary. Slant are very clearly ready for much bigger venues. Indeed all three of the bands tonight were excellent, but I would advise you to see Slant in a small venue while you can.
Slant are on Bandcamp and find out more about them HERE.
