NOMEANSNO, Freak Accident, We Are Knives

The Bunker, Belfast

An already rapt throng are huddled around the front of the stage area as the We Are Knives trio begin to do their thing. And their thing is a mesmerising, unclassifiable mesh of alien sounds born from virtuosity and an ocean of pent-up energy; a meditative, piercing and loquacious army of squalls and burrowing notes constantly jabbing at the brain, locking you into an inescapable, seductive groove. At times you wonder if frontman Hornby is playing the guitar or if the guitar is playing him, so jerky and discombobulated is he as his twitchy fingers tip-tap up and down the fretboard. The We Are Knives live experience is a redemptive baptism that flushes away all residue of no talent schmoes and restores all faith in the magic of six strings, four strings, drums and an expertly deployed arsenal of pedals. Spread the word – sermons this inspiring deserve to flee this parish far and wide.

Following that tour de force, Freak Accident sadly seem a little ordinary. Led by ex-Victim’s Family legend Ralph Spight, their mix of sweet southern grooves and tuneful punk rock suffers more by its placement on the bill than any inherent deficiency, despite a storming start. Their hokey-Helmet meets Dead Kennedys efforts do a decent job of smoothing a plane for the headliners but the case for their defence isn’t helped much by the incessant wackiness of their drummer coming off like an escapee from a long lost Kids In The Hall sketch.

Putting the old in old school punk, goofball Canadian miscreants NOmeansno are shockingly energetic for a couple of decrepit coffin-dodgers. The world’s second most famous Wright brothers (with long-term cohort-in-crime Tom Holliston on spiky guitar duty) take to the stage already grinning with mischief and intent. The reverberating elasticity of Rob’s bass playing drives the set with John’s jazz-clipped tub-thumping keeping things ticking along. Drawing heavily from last year’s ace new record ‘All Roads Lead To Ausfahrt’ and a choice selection from their countless earlier albums and EPs, it’s a tireless and indisputably fun knees-up. With new tracks like ‘The Hawk Kills The Punk’ blending seamlessly with old favourites like ‘Now’, it’s proof there’s plenty of fight in the old dogs yet. Not bad for a trio whose collective age is the wrong side of 150. Dusting off fan-favourite ‘Big Dick’ (from 1989’s ‘Wrong’) for the encore to lay waste to the legion of acolytes down the front, it’s all a bit surreal but never less than impressive. There’s something quite dodgy about a couple of grandpas rocking out and cracking inappropriate gags but to borrow a pun the Wright brothers themselves might appreciate, while it all seems a bit wrong, damn it feels so bloody right.

Words_David McLaughlin

Issue #51 - I Told You This Would Be A Good Issue

Featuring Biffy Clyro, Of Montreal, Duke Special, Frightened Rabbit, Cold War Kids, Jay Reatard, Pat Mills, and more.