Desert Mountain Tribe LIVE @ Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen 28.4.13

Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen is the epitome of East London: dark and dingy but undeniably cool. The EP plugging was shameless, but no doubt effective, being greeted with a table full of EPs before I’d barely stepped through the door. Entering the room you can’t help but feel as though you’ve walked in on some sort of leather jacket and black skinny jean wearing club, one that I clearly hadn’t got the memo about.

The atmosphere, as you’d expect, was painfully cool. The opening band, Black Horse One, played and went, seemingly unfazed and fully confident in spite of their lack of audience.

The room gradually filled up in anticipation for Desert Mountain Tribe; not that anyone would show this anticipation, enthusiasm is far too uncool. The entire set had an admirable nonchalance to it, working out guitars as they went, keeping in constant communication with the sound guys at the back of the room. There’s a strange tranquility to seeing Desert Mountain Tribe live, despite the heaviness of their music and the somewhat overbearing volume in the small room. Desert Mountain Tribe pull off psych-rock flawlessly.  The intensity of their music is accompanied by riffs and solos not too different from those of Rudy and Spider (this reference is made in the desperate hope that everyone watches The Mighty Boosh). This psychedelia is enhanced by the visuals, somewhat comically projected onto a screen that scarcely covered a quarter of the back curtain. The hypnotism caused by the trippy visuals and the seeming admiration for the music, rather than reckless enthusiasm, made for a rather relaxed set, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Aside from the interruption of switching guitars, the trio made their way through the set fairly seamlessly, with minimal audience interaction aside from the standard “Thank You’s”.

The entire evening was effortlessly calm and collected, no doubt what the band attempt to achieve through the psychedelia. What can definitely be taken from this is that Desert Mountain Tribes are definitely ones to watch, and the EP deserves at least a listen if not a purchase.

Melissa Svensen

Melissa Svensen

Melissa, 22. Editor. Student, music journalist, probably talking about Blur or Bowie