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The Dodos
New Cross, Amersham Arms
Article written by
Paul M - Jun 10, 2008
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The Dodos
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No doubt in north London birds are singing sweetly, the bees are busy making honey and the sun is beating down on its residents. Naturally here in south east London the feral cats are all shrieking, police sirens are wailing and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are preparing to step in, but only if it ever stops raining. In fact I can see an ark float by, ablaze, with two grizzled pit bulls on it…
Ok, so I’m exaggerating, but as a resident of this side of our metropolis’ north/south divide it does sometimes feel like we get a bum deal in everything apart from the fact our mud huts are cheaper than the mansions north of the Thames. And it really is raining. Heavily. But there’s a the hint of a rainbow on the horizon with the continuing musical blossoming of this particular corner of the capitol, with both the New Cross Inn and tonight’s venue, the Amersham Arms, not only putting on events regularly but also attracting bands who have created a stir at South by South West. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Camden and Hoxton.
*Goes "la, la, la, I can’t hear you" as Camden and Hoxton list all the SXSW luminaries lined up in their backyards soon*.
The Arms is probably half full and, save one rather irritating central pillar, a nice size and shape for gigs. Unfortunately it has a low-ish stage and when the Dodos come on and decide that they can’t be arsed with standing, 95% of the audience (ie those who couldn’t snog a giraffe) realise that all they can see of the band is the top of their heads. Bah! Despite this, being traditional sorts we decide to face the direction of the music. We may not be able to see very much but what we hear is quite splendid. Indeed while there may be only three of them, for what I shall label folkatronica - because I know you like labels and frankly I can’t be bothered making a new genre up just to slot one band into it before slamming the drawer shut never to open again – they make a fair old noise. Not surprising when one of them spends the entire gig clattering drum skins and another doubles up with him on his own kit frequently. That’s a lot of percussion for a folk, er, electronica, er folkatronica act. Maybe I do need a new genre…
But! Imagine Animal Collective. Or Panda Bear. Or even the Staunton Lick by Lemon Jelly. That’s what I’m talking about. Catchy looped rhythms, pleasant acoustic guitar riffs, jangly keyboards and a lovely lilting vocal. Every now and again something else is chucked in to the mix like a trombone, an electric guitar or some reverb on the acoustic. In fact so pleasant that I dash over and buy the CD from the stall (which sounds almost muted by comparison the following day). And when I step outside at the end it’s even stopped raining. That’s the power of the Dodos.
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