British Sea Power - KOKO, London, 31/1/2008

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 16 / 2 / 2008

intro

At the KOKO in London, Anthony Strutt watches offbeat rockers British Sea Power play an impressive loud and exuberant set

January is always a bad month for gigs. It was good, therefore, to see British Sea Power do a full UK tour this month. On their third album, they asked us with its title a question, 'Do You Like Rock Music ?' and on hearing the album, and on this fine live performance to promote it, my answer, is most definitely a big YES. They have come a long way since I first interviewed them up the road in Camden from the KOKO at the Dublin Castle back in 2002 when they had just released their second single, 'Remember Me'. It was a song that reminded me of the Bunnymen's glories, all wrapped up here in youth. Tonight they plow through three albums worth of material with vigour - their wacky 2003 album, 'The Decline of British Power', its disappointing 2005 follow up, 'Open Season', and 'Do You Like Rock Music' ? Now they have added a female violin player, and Hamilton takes over from his brother Yan for several turns of doing lead vocals. A mid gig instrumental, totally blows me away, sounding like a moody mash of the Cure and the Bunnymen. The whole set is very loud and in your your face, with their previous stage props of foilage and stuffed animals nowhere to be seen tonight. The audience greet the band as heroes throughout the whole set. The last 25 minutes of the 90 minutes consists of 'It Ended on an Oily Stage' from 'Open Season' and an extended jam which sees a dancing bear on stage and bassist Noble up in the air and in the audience doing a great Iggy Pop impression. If gigs get better than this, then can I go please ? The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Katie Anderson.

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