Oh Art Brut is so ridiculous, I love it. Getting there a bit too late to take photos, they had the audience energized like mad by the time I arrived. Singer Eddie Argos looks and sounds like a dissheveled British businessman who really doesn't want to be a businessman and escapes it all by half-untucking his shirt and doffing the tie and jacket at the pub at 5pm. I'm thinking Jack Davenport in The Talented Mr. Ripley, only not quite as dashing (or gay, I guess). He fumbled around the stage spouting of the most ridiculous banter and referring to his band in the third person. As in, before every song, he'd go "Art Brut, are you ready? Go!" and then they'd play. Very very very amusing bunch of folks. "Art Brut, Top of the Pops. We Are Scientists, Top of the Pops..." Rinse, repeat.







This continued of course with We Are Scientists. Not to be outdone, they insulted the hell out of Art Brut, and Keith Murray, in a particularly scathing mood this evening, took the piss out of Chris Cain, who for some reason couldn't get his bass to stay in tune. Murray yelled at him for wasting everyone's time. This was, of course, hilarious. I mean the music is practically secondary when these bands are on stage. They're just a nonstop comedy act. The music was, certainly, brilliant (when Cain's bass was functioning, that is), with Murray literally whirling about the stage and slamming the floor with one foot at the end of one wiry leg. Some new tunes were leaked out there as well - a nice touch.







At one point, Murray asked the audience to give it up for opening-opening Spinto Band, and the audience did indeed give it up. Then Murray chided them for wasting their cheers because the band is gone, they're no longer here! As soon as they began the next song, members of the Spinto band came sneaking out from backstage to do backing vocals (all on one mic!) and a delightful semi-choreographed dance routine. Good grief. Cain journeyed into the audience. Shortly, his bass was returned without Cain, and Murray feared the crowd had "ripped him apart." The show was topped by Art Brut, after more insults from Murray, charging the stage and everyone on it. leaping into and off drums, confiscating instruments from We Are Scientists, attacking people... people came on stage, another classic clueless bodysurfer in an environment where body surfing is no longer particularly accepted, who took a running leap off the stage only to disappear headfirst into an audience that essentially moved aside rather than catching him. The last moments of the set consisted of Murray, being dragged ass over heels off the stage, clawing at the floor and hanging on to his mic long enough to thank everyone there before being yanked by his ankles out of sight. Oh such fun...

Elsewhere

By Andy Scheffler
Photos : Andy Scheffler
Published : January, 2007.