FAT WHITE FAMILY // STYLUS, LEEDS
Fat White Family with new image, new band members, play a short but sweet set on the opening night of their 2019 European tour in Leeds
FAT WHITE FAMILY PERFORMING AT LEEDS STYLUS- 20.11.2019
PICTURE BY: | JOHN HAYHURST PHOTOGRAPHY @SNAPAGIG.COM
★★★★☆ (4/5)
There is a revolution taking place right underneath our noses, to finally cast out all those tedious indie boy guitar bands, and replace them with innovative passionate performance, where art is fused to music and plenty of interaction with the audience. No longer will we accept 4 or 5 lads wearing anoraks and shades indoors, playing some monotonous chorus singalong from their bluroasis hits of the 90’s handbook. #SerfsUp and a rejuvenated Fat White Family are leading the charge with their new formidable 7-piece attack on the senses.
But first we have a local duo called Adult Entertainment who are playing their first live gig. Consisting of synths and female vocals, the duo looked like a father and daughter act. Father pushing the buttons wearing his bucket hat and shades, and daughter singing repeat vocals whilst squirming around provocatively on stage. I think she was singing “I want Girl on Girl” about 50 times at one point but I could be mistaken.
The second support were a different matter – Working Mens Club, make a note of that name, they will no doubt be back to headline this place within the next 12 months. A stunning set of Fall like proportions, also local – Todmorden, just down the road – but this lot are about to jump several rungs up the ladder in the live music ranks. I saw a set of theirs in Lincoln only a couple of weeks ago, but this was way better – Frontman Syd Minsky-Sargeant is stripped to the waist after the 1st song and wastes no time in getting close to the crowd that are enjoying this young bands set. The female guitar/vocals, sometimes keys player is giving Saul Adamcweski a run for his money in the how to look miserable stakes, but the whole band is performing as one pulsating throbbing force, with comparisons to early Joy Division or certainly The Fall worthy to make.
Tonight, was opening night in Leeds on the Fat White Family UK and European tour, which is close to their new home location of Sheffield, they have apparently left their drug infused past behind and with this new album looking to a slightly different path. They go on late, mainly due to one poor girl who is overcome with heat exhaustion and needed ambulance attention.
Coming on stage at 9:50pm to ‘Tinfoil Deathstar’ wasn’t exactly a change in abuse related music but a great early opener with some strong bass. Samuel Toms from Temples is a new edition on drums, and so is Adam Brennan on bass. Also, a keyboard/sax player decked in some impressive silverware - Alex White. We still have the hardcore though, Adam Harmer, Saul Adamcweski looking as miserable as he normally does, and then brothers Nathan and Lias Saoudi, with Lias growing his hair back to normal after his skinhead/mullet period.
There’s a new sound on album ‘Serfs Up!’ to go with their cleaner image (Lias is wearing suit trousers and collar shirt) but live those songs melt into a classic FWF live show. Less in your face than before, but equally as powerful, there is a stoner feel to ‘I Am Mark E Smith’ and then we get the new songs ‘Fringe Runner’ and ‘Feet’. The lights are flashing like crazy throughout and on the single ’Feet’ you have to look away, it is as dirty as it comes. That soiled feeling continues and gets more erotic as ‘Touch the Leather’ causes a wave of energy around the room unparalleled, Fat White Family’s ability to shock is still in there somewhere.
Thankfully a solo spot from Adamcweski on ‘Goodbye Goebbels’ calms things down somewhat. ‘I Believe In Something Better’ carries that mood as the crowd sings back the lyrics holding their hands in the air as if we are at some Baptist church. We are in danger of having several slower tracks all at once now, as the latest sleaze ballad ‘Bobby’s Boyfriend’ is up next. Alex White’s saxophone proving the sordid club feel across the night. However, it isn’t long before we are back with some older tunes, now described as classics like ‘Whitest Boy on The Beach’ and ‘Cream of the Young’.
Sadly I waited all night for ‘Breaking Into Aldi’ and it didn’t emerge, and there were others missing too – ‘Kim’s Sunsets’ and ‘Tastes Good With The Money’ nowhere to be seen on this tour, unless that was all down to our late start – I couldn’t see a setlist. There was no time for an encore as ‘Bomb Disneyland’ the expected final tune was reserved for the end of the set, I felt short changed a bit and wanted more, despite the chaotic start it was a much more reserved performance, hopefully they will expand the set during the rest of the dates.
As a package though, Working Mens Club and Fat White Family are perfect together for a great night of new music – loads of dates left on this tour, but probably not many tickets – you know what to do !!
SETLIST: | FAT WHITE FAMILY – Stylus, Leeds – 20.11.2019
· Tinfoil Deathstar
· I Am Mark E. Smith
· Fringe Runner
· Feet
· Touch the Leather
· Goodbye Goebbels
· I Believe in Something Better
· Bobby’s Boyfriend
· Whitest Boy on the Beach
· Cream of the Young
· Is It Raining In Your Mouth
· Bomb Disneyland