FRAUDS + FEMUR – PAPER DRESS VINTAGE, HACKNEY, LONDON 12.2.23
The current batch of shows that Frauds are playing are their first since guitarist Mikey moved to live in Utrecht. Thankfully nothing about the band has changed much apart from the geographical location of Mikey’s abode.
Support tonight at Paper Dress Vintage in Hackney comes from Femur, who are from Sheffield. The drummer has John Bonham’s symbol from ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ tattooed over his heart, and has the chops to warrant the tattoo. The vocalist looks like Doug Clifford from Creedence Clearwater Revival, but dances like Jarvis Cocker. It must be something in the Sheffield water. The music is heavy psych, like Hawkwind but with fewer effects. However some songs are far more riff driven, with hints of (perhaps unsurprisingly) Zeppelin and Sabbath. There’s a saying that a band is only as good as its drummer. Well, Femur have a helluva drummer, and they’re a helluva band.
Before Frauds start, they have two pints of beer each delivered to the stage. To my mind this is a brilliant start. Their humour is still very much intact, which is great to see, they had been told a while ago that their humour detracted from the music, which is utter nonsense. Their music very much speaks for itself. However, here’s an example of their humour: the drummer wanted to be a lawyer. His Dad told him that he should be a drummer in a punk/metal band playing in Hackney on a Sunday night, because that’s where the money is. Never were truer words spoken. Probably.
Frauds continue to be purveyors of interesting riff driven songs, but like all decent bands they continue to move forward, and have some new songs for us tonight, these being entitled: ‘It Takes One To Know One’, ‘Questions’ and ‘Feathers’.
I still remain astonished by the fullness of the band’s sound. There is a definite bass sound present at times, but initially I’m not altogether sure how that sound is achieved. On looking closer at Mikey’s rig, I realise that as well as going through a standard guitar amp, his guitar goes through an Orange Terror bass amp. Every day’s a school day!!! At one point Mikey appears to control the level of reverb applied to the drums with one of his pedals. I’ve never seen that done before!!!
Throughout the gig they refer to tonight as “a bit of business”. I hope that they manage to at least break even, because making money through playing live music is becoming increasingly difficult. Indeed, most bands make the bulk of their money from tour merchandise. So I bought a Frauds t-shirt. As usual the band’s playing is absolutely awesome. At one point Mikey riffs on his lower strings whilst soloing on his upper strings. I think the last person that I saw do that was the late Jeff Beck…. Much as I like Frauds, tonight has felt very much like a co-headline gig as Femur were so good. Frauds are always great live however, and I really look forward to seeing them again before too long.
Frauds setlist:
‘Money Honey’
‘Put ‘Em Up’
‘Melchett’
‘Sandwiches’
‘Your Eyes’
‘UFO’
‘It Takes One To Know One’
‘Questions’
‘Feathers’
‘Glitter’
‘F*ck F*ck Goose’
‘Copenhagen’
