On Saturday night I stood in a gloriously neon bar in the arches of Edinburgh’s Waverley station and danced my little cowboy boots off to what I’m now calling ‘party punk’ – it was glorious! Whoever thought to put Edinburgh’s The Nature Boys (‘I’m a punk poet’) and London’s Art Brut (‘The sound of a man shouting over some top indie racket’) on the same bill, I shake your hand. Warning – this is not a show you should see if you like your 4th wall intact at all times, you can barely keep these guys on stage.
The Nature Boys kicked off proceedings. Their music is what I imagine Joy Division would have sounded like if they weren’t depressed; melancholy, melodic punk with a lot of attitude. Frontman Cammy Shiels has a brilliant bassy drawl, and seems to sweat brutal masculinity; running around the venue like a denim clad Tarzan, climbing on top of speakers and singing into audience members groins (I did mention the audience interaction). The band are a tight unit, guitarist Marc Cooper leading them in sturdy guitar riffs. The fact that the music is well crafted makes the spectacle of Cammy totally justified; their are much lesser musicians trying to do this and failing miserably.
Art Brut are a group of obscenely talented and energetic musicians, that happen to be seriously entertaining to watch. Drummer Mikey Breyer played excellently standing up the whole set, and dressed in a paisley shirt had a hint of the Keith Moon crazies about him. Guitarists Ian Catskilkin and Jasper Future combined showboating Hendrix style (guitar strings on the teeth anyone?) with some good old fashioned synchronised jumping during some ground-shaking riffs, pure joy. Front man Eddie Argos kept the crowds attention throughout with his vibrant tales of rocking out in art galleries and how the band are now ‘classic rock’ due to their 10 years together. An inspired lyricist with comic timing that surpasses most of the stand up happening at the Fringe, he is that rare combination of awesome front man who is actually funny. As a child of the 90’s, a highlight for me was chanting ‘Art. Brut. Top of the Pops’ a long with the other revelers, and crouching down story time style to listen to Argos tell his stories in the brilliant ‘Modern Art’. Oh and being encouraged to go make a band with the person next to me during ‘Formed a Band’.
As bands go, I doubt you would find 2 more attuned and utterly thrilling as these. My advice is to go see live whenever they’re near you. If you like your music loud with a side of ballsiness and a peppering of lyrical genius, you will not regret it.
Katherine Tittley
