November 22, 2020

Concert Review: City of Souls,Tuning Fork, 21 November 2020

Music as soundscapes, theatre, animated sculpture and molten energy continually forming into mass and dissolving again. Big ambitions laid out at the Tuning Fork tonight and as if by alchemy opening out the room to massive plains of sound. City of Souls perform with manic physical energy and the sweat flows freely from singer Richie Simpson.

On behalf of the band, he feels compelled to remind us that by being here we have rejected fear and embraced life while the rest of the planet cowers. Melody, Punk and Metal. The Filth and the Fury.

The evening’s show is shared by two other bands who equally give it their all and more.

Outside In

Outside In are a five-piece theatrical Power Pop to Rock band. Complex time changes and diverse elements all stitched together with melody. Therefore, they are Prog Rock with their roots arising from the Sgt Pepper-Syd Barrett’s Floyd-King Crimson British Psychedelia axis. Before Punk kicked arse, but wait, they’re up next.

A strikingly good lead singer Mikey Brown. A versatile and powerful tenor who rides out in front for their whole set, famous blue bathrobe and all. Joe Park guitar, Elliot Il Seung bass and Adam Tobeck drums. Graeme is also subbing on guitar for an absent member.

Morning Warning is a good example. Theatrical Goth Rock moving into Pop. Fast drums begin, which the guitars override with counter-rhythms. From there they build up the intensity with the singer staying out front in ELO Jeff Lynne fashion.

Mushrooms starts with Folk. The older pastoral style of Led Zeppelin Three. Pop elements are drafted in. Melody rides high. The energy ramps up and maelstroms and storms are added. The Voice ends with an incantatory drone. So, I guess the song is about psilocybin.

The Garden of Light has guitars in chiming echoes. BritPop in spirit with a nod to the Stone Roses. The singer rides over the top of it all as elements of old-fashioned Heavy Metal and Prog are pulled out.

Complex, versatile with melody emphasised. First time I have seen them but they perform like veterans. For a new band I hope they continue to rise in popularity.

Cherry Blind

Cherry Blind are Logan Anderson bass and lead vocals, Sabastian Munro guitar and Mark Tohovaka drums.

This is the Post-Punk sound of Husker Du who built on the Ramones. Honed and refined to a well-disciplined and tight attack. Nothing shambolic or messy but the best of Punk never was. Anyone can do it was not the actual message. It goes back to Elvis and Little Richard but its roots are deeper still.

Papercut is their current single and opens the attack. Blistering barrage of sound but tight and focused. The artillery is trying to level the walls. Speed Metal in there somewhere. Immediately they charge and leap around the stage. Infectious energy which soon gets the audience wired into the sound. There is still a little apprehension holding people back from an all-out mosh. Can we really trust that the Thought Police have been told to fuck off?

Cherry Blind. More like the original Seventies. We can call that Trad Punk now. The engine is faster.

On Red they call this a Breakdown. Clash and Stiff Little Fingers buzzsaw guitar riffs which are then speeded up to molten level. A bridge to quieten the nerves then a scream to come back in. Check out some Bluegrass breakdowns to hear some of those deeper roots.

It’s a short set but we are all blasted into a heightened awareness. For a middle-aged Punk fan like myself who was in at the start, it is wonderful to see it all coming around again.

City of Souls

City of Souls are showcasing their just released album SYNAESTHESIA. To a darkened room they play the title track, orchestral and majestic. Pomp and theatre. Is everybody in? Let the ceremony begin.

The Sound brings Light to the Dark and they blast off. Prog, Punk, Metal and the sheer physical pressure of a wall of sound.

All these elements sound Nu-Metal, not too far from Blindspott. A three-guitar line-up forms the molten heart of the group. Trajan Schwenke, Marcus Powell and Steve Boag. Daniel Insley bass and Corey Friedlander drums with singer Richie are the attack squad. Powell was a founder member of Blindspott.

With Ferryman and Wolf they plant their flag on conquered soil. Meshed guitars send out sonic pressure waves and a blanket of sound from which arises sparks of melody like fireworks. Incantatory singing.

Not too far from Desert Metal. The sound of North Africa and raging maelstroms over vast land masses.

They can change the backdrop. White Ghost gives the audience a chance to chill out. Cinematic music, anthemic singing. Slower and heavier footsteps.

Sleep starts in similar fashion. Slow tempo. Melody intertwined with dissonance. The drummer charges this one with steady beats embellished with fills and rolls. Declamatory throat shredding vocals.

Brush Strokes is positively subdued as well. Atmospheric and expansive. Guitars manage a Post-Surf tonal colour.

Tying Tongues becomes a tour-de-force as the song keeps shifting moods and tempos. Sounds like several songs shaped into one.

One of their fans tries to crowd surf. First time and he jumps from the metal barrier and just makes it. Second time he falls backwards. Don’t see him again but I assume he’s OK as he gets a laugh.

The band wind up to big peaks for the last brace of songs. Water, Life Blood and Cruelty. Guitars add in chimes and bell-ringing tones. More pyrotechnics. Wall of sound with the drum cannon blasting the path ahead.

A great album launch. Their live power is an experience to behold. Richie kept telling us what it meant for the band to perform tonight. And in light of this watershed year let’s hope we can keep this going.