Joy

>LIARS
+ THE BLOOD BROTHERS
OXFORD, ZODIAC - 11.05.04

The task tonight is for the bands to dazzle the range of people filling the packed Zodiac. For the Blood Brothers, this is not hard. They come on stage, and without any warning launch into their first track. Their crazy, hardcore, screamy, metal, punk and evidently hard to categorise sound goes down well with the crowd. Many even seem to know the indecipherable lyrics to the weird, complex tracks with their strange time changes. I’ll bet you a few quid that a lot of the crowd came for this band, rather than the headliners. But then the Blood Brothers are a very talented live band, they are tight, there’s a lot of action, and they could easily fill a bigger stage.

Having finished their set, we now wait in anticipation for the Liars. A guy wearing a swimming costume, with hair and moustache resembling one of the ‘118 118’ men takes to the stage. Accompanying him is the singer, who evidently believes that he is in Russia for the winter. He is attired with black furry gloves, a scarf

wrapped around his head, and a warm coat which will later be stripped to reveal a glittery panther peering from his top. It soon becomes evident that these costumes are a necessary part of the show, as the music is so obscure something else is definitely needed. The exception to the costume rule is the other member, Aaron,

who enters wearing plain trousers and a smart orange shirt. He looks as if he doesn’t belong in the band, and for the majority of the show he spends his time with his back towards the audience, twiddling about with various buttons. The set is indeed a twiddly one, mostly instrumental, with muffled howls from the ‘singer’, and tracks blending into each other. The music is challenging, and requires an effort from both the band and the audience. It’s not bad, it’s just the problem is that most people don’t want to have to actively concentrate and work hard to enjoy the gig. The singer is dancing in a strange manner not suited to the style of music; it is possible that he gyrating to a livelier tune which he is humming in his head. Apparently

the Liars’ new music is conceptual based on some witch legends, and it would have done well if they had explained this at the start of the set. They wanted to break out of their garage/art/punk pigeon hole, and they definitely accomplished this. They are brilliant in changing their style, but in doing so forget to please the crowd. It was more interesting than enjoyable, though it mesmerised me, and strangely I would like to see it again.

Review & pictures by Nathania Hartley

Read Joyzine's review of Liars' 'We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Our Own'

For more info on Liars, visit their official site at www.liarsliarsliars.com

The Blood Brothers can be found at www.thebloodbrothers.com