Finding out that TV-AM were the support act at this gig was a real bonus. Their debut single “No Explanations” was one of my top tracks of 2014 and featured on our podcast number 32. I caught them live supporting Moon Duo in May and was dazzled by the innovative combo of cut-up messed-up found VHS footage and distorted vocals / guitar. This time around I think I enjoyed it even more. He opened with mechanophiliac-friendly new single “Porsche Majeure“, which Gideon Coe’s been playing on his 6Music show recently. Literally car crash telly. The set went on with the aforementioned “No Expectations” and the magnificently-titled “Kryptonian Semen” before ending with the brilliant (in both senses of the word) “Bathed in Light by Total Immersion”
It’s difficult to accurately describe the TV-AM live experience but I’m sure that whatever it is that he’s doing, he’s the only one doing it and for that reason alone you should make the effort to catch him at one of his gigs around the north-west. Check him out on Facebook and Twitter.
On to the main band then and this is a band I’ve been wanting to catch live ever since I bought their debut CD back in 2003. Onstage they make for a pretty visually arresting bunch. You’ve got Zac who looks like a younger Warren Ellis and has a beard you could quite easily hide a prairie dog in. He plays a mean guitar with a surf-rock flavour, carving out deceptively intricate lead guitar lines. Stage right is Senon, surely the tallest bassplayer in the business with a mighty right thumb that can move mountains and at the back is drummer Paul who gets a hell of a lot of groove out of a fairly minimal kit.
And then there’s singer Chhom with the lights reflecting off her sparkly silver dress and a voice that just grabs your attention. At one point she started a song without the band and the whole room just stood in awe of her voice. Even more amazing live than on the records.
My 2 favourite songs from the debut album “Tiger Phone Card” and “Sober Driver” were played back to back and were particular highlights for me but the whole gig was just sensational.
Like all the best bands, they seem to be really enjoying themselves onstage. They clinked glasses with us, called out “cheers” and toasted the crowd with Senon and Zac pogoing in unison shortly after.
Many of the songs were from the new self-released album “The Deepest Lake” which I bought after the gig and enjoyed very much on the drive home. You can buy it yourself from here.
And if you happen to be in Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Norway or Sweden then you can still catch them on tour this month. Full details here.
TRUST THE WIZARDS 