Klaxons LIVE @ Oslo, Hackney 02.04.14

The last time that Klaxons played in London was a mammoth gig at Hard Rock Calling 2013, with nothing to promote other than an omnipresence existence in British music, and few indications of what would be their yet to be released third album. Almost a year later, the one time “nu ravers” returned home to an intimate club-like, sweaty sell-out show in the bowels of Hackney. The result: a short but triumphant comeback with a setlist that included fan favourites (just two from their second effort) but that – due to the inclusion of six newies – worked more as a warm up for their much anticipated return in June, when new album ‘Love Frequency’ finally sees the light.

klaxons4Dressed in metallic colourful suits – as if they were part of some cheesy new wave 80s band – and energized as hell, Klaxons came to stage in a good mood; chatty and paying their respects to Hackney. The ecstatic crowd exploded when Jamie Reynold’s frenzied bass lines and the band’s acid madness opened with ‘Atlantis To Interzone’, followed by two songs from their upcoming effort: ‘Children Of The Sun’, a Kasabian-esque track with hints of psychedelia – and new single ‘There Is No Other Time’. Like others from their new album (‘Invisible Forces’, ‘Rhythm Of Life’, ‘Love Frequency’) it’s heavily influenced by dancefloors, club sounds and disco music.

If the soul and flashy side of Klaxons is confirmed by Jamie Reynold (bass and vocals) and James Righton (keyboards and vocals), the heartbeat of the band is the underrated, sharp counterpart that clearly deserves more attention and recognition. Simon Taylor-Davie’s guitar textures are modest but effective; trashy but acid, and George’s monotonous but violent banging on drums enriches the sound, bringing to the band a powerful collection of electro-pop chants – as in ‘As Above So Below’, with its brutal drumming and vigorous bass lines (far from the studio version) that gain depth and clarity in such a small venue.

klaxons3Despite the fact that it’s rare to see Klaxons in such a cramped venue these days, the essence of the band resides in small clubs; an unpolished sound, sweaty nights, cracked dance floors and the unique energy of playing close to a loyal, young audience. This is how everything started before they became a massive act. It’s when they are more effective, and where songs become more thoughtful, like with Righton’s schizophrenic keyboards in ‘Valley Of The Calm Trees’, the darkest version of the Klaxons – and definitely ‘Echoes’; probably the most melodic and beautiful piece that the band will ever record.

We can still play along with mysteriously calling the Klaxons ‘nu rave’. The truth is that the lads are just making good pop music. They certainly have obscure moments and a rock-like approach to some tracks of their catalogue, but their lyrics, sticky choruses and melodies are conceived with the goal of becoming massive hits of digestible electro-pop music for young people. A formula that works pretty well, and that is easily recognizable in crowd favourites like ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’, ‘Magik’, ‘Golden Skans’ and ‘It’s Not Over Yet’, which (ironically) ended the sweaty night in Hackney.

There are two versions of this band: The polished and overproduced studio albums over exalted by the music press, and the loud, energetic shows that prove nothing but Klaxons at their rawest. And in a small venue it sounds even better.

Alejandro De Luna
@thesenseofdoubt

Alejandro De Luna

Alejandro De Luna

Founder & Editor @ TSOD (thesenseofdoubt.com) and obsessed with the possibilities of recorded noise as a tool to squeeze your skull. Wish we were in 1977...