So Many Dynamos
Buffalo Bar, London
23/02/2010

The thing about live gigs is that you never know what’s going to happen. There are a lot of variable factors – from the size of the crowd to the equipment, from raging hangovers to the weather – that mean that, at any given point, anything, good or bad, could happen. Usually, of course, it’s the latter, something which proves itself yet again at tonight’s post-hardcore showcase.

The first obstacle to contend with is indifference. First support band The James Cleaver Quintet positively bristle with attitude and confidence, but there aren’t all that many people watching, which notably frustrates and infuriates singer Jack Swagger (not his real name presumably). It’s a shame, because the quartet (the band name is a misnomer) have an impressive, if slightly nonchalant, stage presence and some good songs to back it up. 

Second band, second problem, though this time it’s technology rupturing the peace. Right from the offset, spiky, punchy, catchy five-piece Blitz Kids have trouble with one of their guitar cables, and spend a large part of their set as a four-piece while they try to fix it. They get there in the end, but even when there’s an instrument missing, they’re mesmerising – full of full-throttle energy that sees singer Joe James thrash around in the crowd (which is by now slightly larger) and climb onto one of the pillars that holds the Buffalo Bar as its walls tremble and shake through vicious bursts of angst-ridden bass.

Palindromic headliners So Many Dynamos are here on their first UK tour, to support last year’s rather fantastic debut album, ‘Loud Wars’. Half-indie, half-dance, half-post-rock, they form an intelligent whole (and a half!) that’s as emotional as it is erudite, as catchy as it is difficult. The only problem they encounter is that, three quarters of the way through, it does begin to all merge together. Granted, ‘New Bones’ and ‘The Formula’ are superb – even more oddly androidian than on record – but the robotic beats only start to irk towards the end. Three songs less and they’d have been brilliant. Instead, they’ll have to settle for just very good. Still, next time, anything can happen, and this is a band much more likely to inspire than disappoint.

Mischa Pearlman