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Bitty Clyro, the thinking woman’s lunatic rock renegades; Deftones, the rockers it's cool for the big boys to like
ROCK
BlFFY CLYRO
Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Mon 2 Jun
DEFTONES
Breahead Arena, Glasgow, Tue 3 Jun
Over the past two years you’d have been forgiven for thinking that the rock world was ostensibly populated by young men in inappropriately large trousers, wailing about how mommy and daddy didn't love them. But times have changed, and this year, the wide slacks gave way to reedy waifs sporting lank hair, mirrored aviators, leather jackets and wailing about how they ‘DONGIVAFUCKABOWTNOONE!’ Such is the cyclical nature of rock’n’roll: you wait for one bunch of cliched nihilists to leave and three more turn up in their place. Not a lotto shout about really.
Deftones, despite predating their ‘peers’ by a good couple of records were swept up in the phenomenon that was nu metal. A quintet of skatey, Latino Americans from Sacramento, California, they were among the early signings to Madonna's Maverick label and while enjoying all the trappings of a modern rock band they have a certain sense of drama, spirit and dynamics that makes them rise clear above the dross.
Their new single ‘Minerva’ sums up their aesthetic: belligerent percussion, a wall of simultaneously chiming
and growling guitars, while singer Chino Moreno swings his larynx above his head for a verse before relief arrives in the shape of a soaring uplifting chorus. The good, the bad and the ugly all in one handy song, and their new self- titled album sees out this notion. While not as textured and instantly beguiling as their previous record, 2000’s colossal White Pony, it bears out the obvious: they will continue to flourish as the nu metal tree withers and dies.
Biffy Clyro share little with Deftones other than an appreciation for the loud/quiet rock dynamic, the inherent magic of a good pop chorus and questionable facial hair. Now onto their second album they show a similar potential Deftones did after their breakthrough second long player Around the Fur.
Biffy Clyro’s new platter, The Vertigo of Bliss, is a further stride away from the youthful Cobainisms that peppered their embryonic workouts. Carrying on the rock power trio lineage that made the Jam, the Police, Hiisker Di] and Shellac such simultaneously spare and intense delights in the live arena.
Both bands play live here in June, one to an ice rink full, the other in more modest environs, but in the fall out of nu metal and garage rock constipation, both deserve to be recognised as something to shout about. But make it loud, and give mom and dad a break for once.
(Mark Robertson)
Braithwa'te
Things to do instead of watching The Bill
invasion. albeit on a smaller scale. Alongside Our good selves there will also be appearances by Belle and Sebastian. Teenage Fanclub and Arab Strap. cueing the inevitable outbursts of Caledonian indecipherability that inevitably come with the Scots abroad. There also is the added bonus of a host of
he things we do for music. I Celtic's ascent to the giddy
heights of the UEFA Cup final was greeted with eager anticipation by all in the Mogwai camp. with tentative. yet firm plans of travelling to Spain and procuring tickets by hook or by crook made with the utmost urgenCy. When we realised we were due to play a live session for John Peel on the same day as the final, we were numbed to say the least. Asides from the obvious disappointment at not getting to go to Spain with half the country. we'd also have to subscribe to abstinence during the game as Our previous (and only) attempt at playing live on the radio in an inebnated state was
predictably and Suitably embarrassing. Any Questions of cancelling were Quickly put into check by the thOught of pissing off Mr Peel. Not only has he supponed us from the get go. but given his nature I'm pretty sure he'd still support us if we defected to Hungarian folk-ragga and only released records on 78rpm picture discs. So we ended up watching the game before we played at London's Maida Vale Studios. At least we weren't watching The Bill.
And so in a feeble attempt to add some fluidity to this witteration, I bring us round to Our upcoming trip to Spain for the Primavera festival. Barcelona too will suffer a Scottish
other fine bands appearing including Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo. Julian Cope. DMX Krew, White Stripes. Television, Wire and a plethora of Spanish bands who. if the Zephyrs (they played last year) are to believed. are well worth watching. it looks like one of the best line-ups of the summer but I might be playing that up because I'd like to have been in Spain a few days earlier.
Oh well.
Our tour has gone reasonably well so far. The most amusing incident was me wiping my sweaty heid on some poor guy’s jacket after mistaking it for a towel. Just shows that age doesn't always bring wisdom with it.
48 1'"! LIST 22 May-5 June 2003
Surface noise
All the romanticism. sceptiC/sm and mUSIcal eclectic/5m in the wonderful world of music
HATS OFF TO OR AT LEAST some kiss 0‘ dot‘x‘g o" the car "‘otcr‘. "was: be out the v.3; oi" EdNTDLJQ'T oro'ueters‘ Arocmmw who are attempting to put something eciect'c back into e.'emr‘gs .i‘, the, "‘iOSlTDITS. ‘.'.'ll’c.'t? llh't‘ bands ’.‘.’lii fill) "tLley Shetzlders with the local [)Jirig glitterat' The inaugural L-ue SessiOri is at the Venue Ol‘ Saturday 21 May. and promises low-slung break-blues freaks Mystery Juice. deep hOuse DJ Neil Crookstov. and an R88 seratch set sartdiwiched in between how. Capstin P0le and Meaks. Future exents promise everything from folk to funk, blues to breakbeats and house to hip hop See listings for full CiCidllS
Mystery Juice '.‘
DON’T PUT THAT CAP BACK on yet peeps, for it should be doffed once again, this time in the direction of Scottish saxophone star Paul Towndrow, who has reached the final of the World Saxophone competition. Paul will join 11 others at the finals of the prestigious competition during the 37th Montreux Jazz Festival, held in Switzerland in July.
CONTINUE THE CLAPPING and cheering business fOr c0ver star Alison Goldfrapp and her assoned rockist pals who play this month as part of One in Four, a festival aimed at raiSing awareness and funds for local mental health charities. Arab Strap. V Twm and a newly reVitalised Snow PatrOI are amOhg the acts playing. See listings for mOre details.
DO YOU HAVE TALES FROM T in the Park? Were you hanging with the Manics, sharing a cheeky pint with Noel Gallagher or did you just wake up one morning in the wrong tent? We are looking for punters’ tales from the last ten years of T for our anniversary special, so send your stories to Mark Robertson at musicGlist.
co.uk along with a contact email or phone number asap.