Turbowolf

Really this band were born to perform. Every member is a natural on the stage whether it’s the instrument, banter or crowd baiting they just have the It factor. As if that isn’t enough, and possessing the It, X and Krypton Factor is lead singer, orchestrator and keyboard player Chris Georgiadis.

Pulling tracks from their two albums they are a maelstrom of riffs and rhythms, with the odd infiltration of keyboards to colour the song. There’s an underlying air of darkness about this band live, whether it’s the frenzied stoner/space rock riffs or the slightly out of place keyboard sounds that create that sinister tingle. It’s disquieting and not easy to pin down but it is at odds with their general light hearted and fun for all demeanour. Examples? Sonic Gold is a right meany, A Rose for the Crows’ is gorgon Sabbath/psych mash-up and what sounds like 70’s Dr Who soundtrack cues leads into a hyper charged Let’s Die.

Leading all this is Georgiadis, right up front; a whirling dervish of a frontman of sublime wit and brilliance that just keeps it on the edge of total lunacy. But this is not a one man band and there’s no supporting cast. There’s some monster riffing coming from Andy Ghosh’s guitar while Lianna Lee Davies and Blake Davies on bass and drums respectively keep that bottom end plumb line tight and heavy.

Is there any doubt that Turbowolf are one of the best live bands around? Not on this performance certainly.

Before them we have Loom and Beasts. Loom have a lead singer who spends a lot of his time trying to look menacing, and he really doesn’t. They have a gothy lean and quite tight, early days. Beasts aren’t and their polished sound though heavy at times, is far from feral and they aren't that involving, tonight anyway.