SQUID // CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON
Fresh from playing at End of the Road Festival, Squid push the boundaries of experimental at the Concorde 2.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Since the UK is basking in a mini heatwave, perfect for the end of Festival season and being able to catch Squid and a host of other bands in Dorset, it was welcome evening, being able to watch the experiment squid again down a very hot Concorde 2.
Support for tonight comes from local Brighton based KEG who are on Alcopop records, an independent label that prides itself in releasing uncontroversial formats!
KEG bring gritty guitar sound with banging drums to the Concorde which does fit the bill nicely to the already eagerly awaiting audience. The 7 piece KEG set the bar high with the debut release of the “Heyshaw” single which is a barrage auf raucous energy, riffs and tempo changes. “Presidential Walk” goes a step further with blasting trumpet and idles style shouting lyrics. The whole experience is a joy to behold and a rollercoaster from start to finish and is a taster what is to become in the bands future offerings.
Since 2017 the Experiment squid has been pushing its limits with releasing a host of singles, each song being a bit weirder than the previous, taking a leaf out of Rocket records many siblings, with the last song being released “Pamphlets” which grows on you the more you listen!
Squid is composed of five members, each whom as multiple roles to play in the band. The singer and drummer Ollie Judge, the guitarist and vocalist Louis Borlase, the guitarist Anton Pearson, the bass player Laurie Nankivell and the keyboardist, cellist and percussionist Arthur Leadbetter.
The project originated from Judge and Pearson playing in a soul and funk covers band and you can tell their influential background from Krautrock and post punk and with a different approach on every song. The singles “houseplants” and one tonight’s played songs. “The cleaner”, shifting more towards synth – pop! The band took the direction of producer Dan Carey who has worked with Goat Girl and Black Midi to help them along the way to the shift them to the more obscure experimental and innovative.
Each song has its own inconsistency and weirdness too it as the evening progresses the band tore through the jingly, long instrumental sounds and dark tones of the set, showing off a collection of bizarre and wonderful tracks which included G.S.K and “Boy Racers”, taken from the debut album “Green Fields.” Overall the night was a musical extravaganza with fans even forming a mosh pit towards the end of the show as the band trash and shout out, swapping instruments and persecution throughout. An encore would off been nice as the guitars faded as a welcome and treat the fan base as they obviously wanted more of the same.
