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Gig Review

Fucked Up
London, Scala

Article written by Jonny C - Nov 1, 2011

Fucked Up

Fucked Up are one of those bands a lot of people of heard of long before they get round to listening to them. This is understandable, as the name alone is sure to get people talking whilst simultaneously ensuring they are never played on mainstream radio, not mentioning the fact the music is hardly likely to interest Radio 1 listeners. Their abrasive form of hardcore pop-punk is hardly going to appeal to the masses and it is highly unlikely they will play anything but the same type of frantic, sweaty live show I was treated to at Scala.

With it being Halloween, the band saunter onto stage wearing several variations of baby outfits, from nappies to pyjamas. Lead singer Damien Abraham (a.k.a Pink Eyes) appears to have made less effort than his band-mates and has very shortly discarded any baby attire to leave himself in nothing but his underwear. No one is at all erred or even surprised by this, as they're all too busy having a bloody good time. In the middle of the show the band halt all musical endeavours to stage a costume competition, bringing numerous fans in fancy-dress up onto the stage before handing out LPs to the three best costumes. Abraham also spends a fair amount of time between songs recounting anecdotes, endorsing visits to Canada and, to this reviewer's particular delight, confessing his love for Alan Partridge (as an aside guys, read I, Partridge, in the words of Pink Eyes, "it's so fucking funny").

Now it is not often a gig review spans two paragraphs without mentioning a single note of music, but Fucked Up live is much more than just watching some people play music. The atmosphere is ridiculously amicable for essentially an hour and a half of people pushing each other around. A couple of miscreants excluded, the night consisted of jumping into complete strangers and then high-fiving or hugging them immediately afterwards. The fact is that as a member of this audience, you feel part of something special, something that most people don't understand, namely the band Fucked Up. There is a solidarity between the band and the crowd that is most evident in the desperation of so many people to touch a sweaty, fat, half-naked, hairy (I'm allowed to say that as he used all those words himself) man during one of his many forays into the audience. Abraham is a brilliant frontman, perfectly executing what so many strive so hard to achieve: to bridge the gap between band and fans. He is somewhat separate from the rest of the band, who simply stand on-stage and play their instruments. Not that they don't seem to be having a good time, only that they clearly don't want to make any effort to deflect attention from their charismatic singer. However, it is just as clear that Abraham is as big a fan of his band's music as the fans clutching at his perspiring body. With the introduction to almost every song he offers a cry of delight or a little dance on-stage. The band are clearly enjoying themselves as much as the crowd.

So, the music! Fucked Up could easily have written songs about taking trips to the supermarket to do their weekly shop and the energy of their live shows would have been engaging enough to see them through, but they haven't. In fact, their latest record, the critically lauded David Comes to Life is a concept album about a British factory worker, David, who meets and is subsequently accused of killing his girlfriend, Veronica. It would be difficult to claim that much of this narrative is maintained on stage, but one thing from the album most certainly is- the hooks. One after another of the catchiest, most relentless hooks likely to be penned this year. Some old fans have expressed disappointment at the band moving away from their hardcore routes into more 'pop' territory, but frankly those people are idiots. This album is no less complex than previous efforts, just a whole lot more accessible and, in all honest, more fun. Above all, they make it possible to stand a little behind the sweaty pit of bodies throwing themselves at each other and actually tap your foot to the irresistible guitar lines.

With so many admirable aspects to this band, repeated viewings would be as equally rewarding as the overwhelming sense of fun from the first time. To appreciate the brilliance of Fucked Up fully though, one has to listen to both David Comes to Life and see them live- they are both very different but equally unforgettable experiences.

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/epicsinminutes