British Sea Power LIVE @ KOKO, Camden

Making my way from Camden Town station to Koko, I’m bombarded by touts selling tickets for tonight’s show – British Sea Power. Arriving at Koko I found a security guard hopelessly trying to explain to a confused old man that there was live music tonight, but, no, it wasn’t free. Koko is one of the nicest venues in Camden (or even London for that matter). It’s a very mature venue, particularly on a night like tonight when the audience consists mainly of over thirties.

Support came from electronic musician William Doyle aka East India Youth: armed with his guitar and his MacBook, on occasions sounding not unlike James Blake (there’s also a slight physical resemblance) but on others getting far heavier, the guitar taking control rather than the Mac. He seemingly hypnotises the audience, particularly during Looking For Someone, during which the audience seem unable to take their eyes off the video of a moving train track.

Throughout the evening, the eccentricity of British Sea Power is made clear. Initially there appears to be a botanical theme, the stage completely covered with plants. As they take to the stage, the violins take the lead, easing the crowd in before exploding into an anthemic set.

The thematic nature of the show appears to continue throughout, changing however as they go; starting the set with Heavenly Waters and Fear of Drowning, before moving onto more scientific based songs such as Atoms and We Are Sound. There is an admirable knowledge (aside from the musical talent and the guitar tricks that were performed) that comes with British Sea Power. You can’t help but feel slightly smarter by the end of the show, having listened to songs about everything from atoms to Greek mythology.

It’s clear that these aren’t just any musicians. They’re incredibly talented, and while they’re always said to have well thought out shows, it’s another thing to experience it in reality. As with East India Youth, the audience was hypnotised: even more so this time. While the stillness of the crowd could be due to age, it seemed to be more out of appreciation for the music. There’s an incredible power that comes with British Sea Power, and a feeling of inclusiveness that makes you regret not knowing every single word so you can shout along.

Towards the end of the set, the previously subdued audience was far from it. The quiet appreciation had been shown and now, instead it was time for crowd surfers to appear.

By the encore, it was clear that British Sea Power won’t ever let an audience think they’re normal. Having previously shown clips of Zippy from 70s children’s show Rainbow, they were then stage invaded by two ten-foot dancing bears. One can only question the need for these bears (apart from to mentally scar the audience), however it undeniably made an impact. British Sea Power are an incredibly talented band, particularly live, and the effort that goes into their shows cannot be denied.

Melissa Svensen