Propagandhi + Comeback Kid @ The Electric Ballroom Camden London (17/04/2013) Review

I'm back! Momentarily anyway. Before I start the review, I thought I'd apologise for my absence and lack of reviews. I know it's been a while since my last post, but unfortunately revision has had to take priority over my blog, so sadly I just didn't have time to review Dead Swans final show or Broadway Calls. But for anyone who was wondering, Dead Swans were epic! As were every other band on the bill, especially Gnarwolves (who also supported Broadway Calls) and Landscapes. Anyway, I have managed to spare a little time to review Propagandhi, so here goes!

To say I was excited for this gig was an understatement. It seems like a very rare occasion that Propagandhi venture over to our shores to grace us with their politically driven brand of hardcore punk, (so rare that this was in fact my first time seeing Propagandhi). This was one of the few opportunities to witness one of the most passionate and long-withstanding bands in the hardcore and punk, being one of only four UK dates across the whole tour. And if Propagandhi's live reputation and quality of music or rarity of a Propagandhi show isn't enough to give you goosebumps, the addition of Comeback Kid, Shai Hulud and War on Women to the bill certainly will be! For anyone who is still religiously attached to 'old' Propagandhi may be confused by the choice of bands, but with Propagandhi's continuing progression into a more hardcore and metal influenced sound in their 2012 album Failed States, they were a perfect choice. 

To start off my night of Hardcore were Shai Hulud. Frankly, I had only really listened to them as a lead up to the gig, but I was fully aware of their eminence in the Hardcore scene. Propagandhi weren't lying when they said it was going to be a full house. Despite Shai Hulud being only the second band on out of four, the room was already filling to the brim within a few songs of their set. This seemed to play to their advantage. It took a while for Shai Hulud to really step into their stride but halfway through their set they had managed to get everyone in the front involved; as the venue continued to fill, more and more people ventured to the front thanks to the vocalists stage presence and charisma and their infectious breakdowns. By the end of their set it felt as though they were worthy of being a sub-headline act. 

And now for the moment that a lot of people have been waiting for: Comeback Kid. Even though Comeback Kid are playing down the road in merely 5 days at Camden Underworld, they had certainly attracted a few of their own fans to this gig. Kicking off with G.M Vincent and I from their most recent album Symptoms and Cures it was understandable that this was going to be a stark contrast to their upcoming Underworld gig, in which they will be playing their first two albums with their original line-up. Having spoke to a few people that went to gig without having listened to Comeback Kid much beforehand, they without a doubt had won over plenty of new fans, though I can't imagine how many new fans there were to be had at this rammed out venue. Being at the front, I felt the full force of the crowd behind me, and it was forceful! There was hardly any space to escape the ever growing pit.

This was probably about my fifth or so time seeing Comeback Kid but this was definitely the best. They've always seemed completely at home and compelling on stage, but somehow, god knows how, tonight they had grown as a band since I last saw them. Andrew Neufeld entered the room as though he owned the place, and rightly so. Throwing his weight around the stage and projecting his booming voice filling the room, he possessed everyone's gaze. Musically, they were just has good as they have ever been, blasting through old classics like Talk is Cheap and of course you can't forget Wake the Dead, which I'm sure was played even faster than last time. Their set left me breathless and eager to see them again. After this show, they may find their Monday show at the Underworld selling out rather quick. 

I would say next is Propagandhi, but instead, the stage was graced by a couple of activist from the Sea Shepherds. For anyone who doesn't know who the Sea Shepherds are, they're a conservation organisation aimed at protecting the ocean's wildlife. To read more go to http://www.seashepherd.org/ I understand that Propagandhi are an incredibly outspoken, socially conscious and politically active band, and this is obviously an issue close to their hearts, as they're also all vegan and animal rights activists. I understand it's great to get an opportunity like this to talk to hundreds of like minded people to promote your cause and I respect Propagandhi for giving them this opportunity, but at the end of the day, I'm here for Propagandhi. Any expression of opinions or beliefs at gigs should be expressed through music.

Anyway, enough on expressing my opinion on preaching at gigs (though that may be slightly hypocritical!) After little delay, Propagandhi surprisingly open with Dear Coach's Corner instead of the expected Failed States opener Note to Self. But honestly, they could not have picked a better song to set the pace of this gig: really fucking fast. The chaotic intro to Dear Coach's Corner showcased Propagandhi's relatively new metal influenced riffs and incredible technical work from David Guillas. And then to follow on with Fuck The Border, which accelerates on from Dear Coach's Corner and is one and a half minutes of sheer relentless speed. During Fuck the Border it's Todd Kowalski's turn to stun us with his impeccable musicianship.

Shai Hulud praised Propagandhi during their set commenting on how they aren't associated with either the Hardcore or Punk scenes, and that they stand out from the crowd, doing 'their own thing'. Judging from tonight, I couldn't agree more. Just looking around at the crowd alone, it's a mix of punks, hardcore kids and metal kids and everything in between. Regardless of their eclectic fan base, there are few bands that have managed to make the seamless transition from punk to hardcore to a more 'metal' influenced sound that Propagandhi have. They're able to mix songs like Rattan Cane (which to me has a very Converge-esque feel to it in the intro) with punk songs such as Apparently I'm a PC Facist.

It's not just the musical diversity and evolution of Propagandhi that never ceases to amaze me, but it's also their musical dexterity. There is not a single weak link in the band, and they take full advantage of their prowess. Being the punk fan that I am, I have to say, not many of the bands that I see live are particularly 'skilled', but Propagandhi are an exception. Not only are they impressively faultless throughout their set but throughout their epic 21 long set, they grasped onto everyone's attention, refusing to let go or relent.