For a long time, a Battles storm has been brewing. Having released two EPs over the course of two years they've managed to go unnoticed, mainly in Britain due to their indie counterparts Battle. However in the past few weeks they've established themselves, by secretly creating the music lovers album of the year. Almost trapped between genres as the venue fills, not with the usual metal heads but the more broad-tasted music listener, many tonight are waiting for an excuse to hail Battles a musical breakthrough. However before that we have to endure the bands who strive to be everything Battles create.
Tired Irie, not quite confident enough to turn to the full hardcore/electronic route, instead spend their time uncomfortably jumping between two genres. As the band appear wearing skinny jeans and striped t-shirts a la Franz Ferdinand, they attempt to create the warped sound of their peers but fall back on their dull easy vocals.
Clark on the other hand, who has managed to advertise his live drummer on every lamppost in Sheffield uses his live set as a disadvantage. Consisting of a boring man in an anorak, the drummer is left as the only entertainment; except he fails to add anything to the performance. With the music mainly consisting of drum loops, all the said drummer added was the same exact live beat. When he periodically stopped to have a conversation with the DJ (as you can imagine, a highlight of the show) you couldn't tell the difference. As for the music- imagine Nathan Barley creating an electro mashup in his bedroom, then playing it to you at top volume while screaming "HAVE IT!" in your face and you are a fifth there.
As Battles set up their equipment they are twice as entertaining as their supports. The stage is scattered with thousands of wires and as the drummer raises the crash cymbal to the ceiling the band take up a peculiar set up, choosing to arrange in a line across the stage. Then as the bassist begins to play people hardly notice the show starting, as it builds through loop pedals into the early stages of 'Leyendecker'. As the rest of the band enter, Battles technical aspirations become apparent as microphones, keyboards, drums, guitars and laptops are all linked together to fuse as one entity. Despite using processed beats, Battles, unlike Clark show how to blend live instruments with computerised sound.
By the third song the drummer looks ready to collapse, sweating profusely as the guitarist and technophobe Ian Williams makes individual movements to his every sound. Tyondai Braxton is the main attraction however. After once mentioning "sometimes people don't know how to move to our music. Its somewhere between dancing and moshing" that premise becomes true as the audience begin to start a moshpit in 'Atlas' only to dissolve it moments later. Braxton's helium vocals are emphasised as he moves his mouth with the pitch of his voice, while playing the notes in the air with his fingers. He also appears the most commanding in the group, as the other members follow his lead throughout.
As the band finish on 'Bad Trails' they never fail to impress. They have been accused of being too technical onstage and not engaging with their audience, but judging by tonight it's hard to find a fault. Constantly aware of their audience they, unlike Clark displayed real passion as they hopped and skipped among their complex math rock, concentrating, counting and reaching complete perfection.
