Two bands, one unforgettable night: Headsticks for power, Abdoujaparov for punchlines - and the crowd for chaos.
It was the Saturday of the Halloween weekend, and The Lexington in Islington was the place to be for those who prefer their live music with grit, guts, and a generous helping of good humour. Two rather extraordinary bands were on the bill. Both playing full sets, both leaving no soul unshaken and no pint unspilled.
Headsticks from Stoke-on-Trent kicked off proceedings, led by frontman Andrew, whose stage presence could probably power the National Grid. The band delivered a perfectly balanced blend of material from their new album The Best Thing on TV and long-time crowd favourites. They came out swinging with Keyboard Warriors and The God Song, both absolute belters from the new record, setting the tone with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer wrapped in melody. By the time Cold Grey English Skies rolled in, the warm-up phase was history - and so was any thought of standing still.
The crowd properly came alive with Miles and Miles, chanting along as if it were a football terrace anthem, before Dark Waters offered a moment of calm, acoustic beauty and reflection. That tranquillity didn’t last long, though - Tyger Tyger brought the audience roaring right back into the mix, quite literally becoming part of the song. From there on, the room was in full flight. The closing trio - Don’t Spoil the Apocalypse, My Own War, and the ever-stirring Peace and Quiet - saw the band depart like conquering heroes, leaving behind a grinning, sweaty crowd and a short but necessary break for refuelling at the bar.
Then came Abdoujaparov, the wonderfully eccentric brainchild of ex-Carter USM guitarist Les “Fruitbat” Carter, to take the baton - or perhaps the beer mat - and run with it. Their set was a whirlwind of wit, wordplay and wonderfully weird storytelling. It’s hard to resist a band whose songs feel like postcards from Britain’s slightly skewed side streets: humorous, heartfelt, and occasionally hilariously absurd.
They opened with There’s Nobody Less Rock’n’Roll, a title that’s pure self-deprecating genius, before tearing through Emergency Medical Hologram and George - songs that blend the mundane and the mad with effortless charm. Somerset Levels stood out with its bittersweet storytelling, while Bodypart Superstore had the audience laughing, dancing, and questioning the sanity of the English retail sector all at once.
By the time Everything Is Free and Brixton Flippin' Riots hit, it was clear that a good chunk of the audience were long-time followers - they knew every word, every pause, every punchline. Beer Scooter inevitably turned the floor into a scene of joyful chaos, and when Fish Face and the gloriously daft Abdou Theme wrapped things up, even the bar staff were smiling.
All in all, it was one of those nights where everything clicked - two bands with different flavours but the same punk-hearted passion, giving the crowd precisely what they came for: A night of sweat, singalongs and superbly strange storytelling - the best kind of beautiful chaos.
Setlist: Headsticks Keyboard Warriors The God Song Cold Grey English Skies Dying For A Lie Paper Flowers This Ain't Politics Pantomime Miles And Miles I Keep You Alive Dark Waters Tyger Tyger My Own War Each And Every Day St. Georges Infirmary Apocalypse Peace And Quiet
Abdoujaparov There's Nobody Less Rock'n'Roll Emergency Medical Hologram George Aren't we All Somerset Levels Bodypart Superstore Fingers Everything Is Free Brixton Flippin' Riots My Little Life Monster Pop Pop Pop Small & Cute Maria's Umbrella Beer Scooter Fish Face Abdou Theme
