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Fun things in life number 639 - watching the reaction of people who've never seen Robochrist live before. Five seconds - look of slight confusion. One minute - a mix of total bewilderment and terror. Three minutes - apart from the Coldplay fans who've long since panicked and fled to the bar, grinning all over their mushes like little kiddies who've just discovered where mum and dad hide the keys to the sweet cupboard.
This is the first time in a few months I've seen Robochrist due to his numerous other musical guises but rest assured the set rocks just as much as ever with some new equally warped musical landscapes complementing the old stuff superbly. And, let's face it, that "Werther's Original" sample at the end of his set is still about the most rock 'n' roll thing in the Leeds live music scene today.
If you're the sort of person who likes the Darkness' quest to wrestle proper rock music back from tedious drones like Nickelback and the Calling in theory but finds their histrionics a bit trying in practice, Viking Skull are almost certainly the band you've been waiting for. Comprising at least two off-duty members of Raging Speedhorn, they specialise in near-as-dammit perfect headbanger metal which recalls prime time UFO with none-more-dumb Spinal Tap style lyrics ("Beer, Drugs And Bitches" anyone?). You may well laugh at such an idea but in a world where metal has been seriously lacking in fun these last few years, bands like this are an absolute blessing and the number of kids shamelessly shaking their manes and throwing devil signs shows that there's plenty of people out there who'd agree.
A couple of weeks back, a journalist in some national myoo-zik paper said of Guns 'n' Roses' music, "It makes blokes want to fight and girls want to dance. What the hell else is there?". Believe you me, he'd've loved Viking Skull tonight.
Review and pic by Andy James
