Weekly > Reviews
Bat For Lashes - The Spitz, London
The night of the gig begins with a lot of stress and confusion. After getting off the bus at completely the wrong stop, I am left with no choice but to put into use my not very reliable map-reading skills to try and find the place. Once again they let me down. So I put my trust in a friendly looking passer by who helps me find the venue. When it comes into view I am hugely relieved to see it, and of course, my friend who is waiting outside the door.
We head straight to the bar to buy a bottle of Pinot (We know where our priorities lie). As the wine begins to relax us, we decide maybe it would be a good idea to head upstairs and find the band we are supposed to be reviewing (so far there had been far too much drinking and chatting, and not enough concern for the task at hand). So we head upstairs to take a peek at the supporting act (Johnathon Wilson).
As we stand by the bar waiting for our second bottle of wine (as if the first one wasn’t enough) I turn my concentration to the stage. Johnathon Wilson is clearly very talented. He would probably have fallen off the stage if he had been any more laid back. His guitar playing is sensational and his voice is captivating. It is the kind of music I would savour for chilling on a lazy Sunday morning or for on a long train journey. I begin to enjoy the atmosphere he has created.
I have no idea what to expect from the main band ‘Bat for Lashes’ who I have come to review. I have not heard of them before. As Johnathon Wilson leaves the stage, the venue fills up (a little too much actually). It starts to get very hot. Clearly they are popular. Each member takes their place on stage and my friend remarks to me that they look like something out of Buck’s Fizz with their sparkly outfits. The first song (Horse and I) starts with some rhythmical clapping and a strong drum beat and I quickly realise there is going to be no Velcro- lined skirts or cheesy band members telling me the time is right for making my mind up.
The music is wild and passionate and obviously comes straight from the singer’s heart. Straight away I am drawn into the bands mystical world of wolves, witches and fairies. Bjork and Kate Bush spring to mind when I think of who influences on the band might be. The performance is slightly eccentric yet at the same time seems well rehearsed and very precise. As I look around the room I am surprised by the amount of men I see. I thought the band would appeal more to women, but the man beside me seems to know all the words.
- Bat For Lashes
- The Spitz, London (12th September 2006)
- Category: Live
- Label: The Echo Label
- Support: Johnathon Wilson
- Reviewed by: londonlass
- Published on: 08 Oct 2006
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
Weblinks
Add to favouritesI find it is more of an experience than just a gig. Natasha Khan’s voice is crisp and clear and it howls and soars above the sinister base and eclectic mix of unusual percussion and stringed instruments. The music doesn’t put you completely at ease. It’s dark yet innocent, eerie yet strangely relaxing and comforting. This mixture of dark and light is captured well in the last song of the night (I saw a light). The vocalist sings of a guiding light, freshly cut lawns and children playing and then in the very next line talks of two people committing suicide. It is a strange mix, but it works well.
Upon leaving the venue, although we feel like we’ve spent the evening in a sauna, we both comment on how much we enjoyed the gig. There album is definitely one I will be buying
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