Posters. They’re an oft-abused method of drawing punters, too frequently advertising inane raves featuring DJs with dumb names and an unsurprising lack of talent. Nothing against raves, but the poster issue really must be resolved. A band who have their poster-act together in a big way are “artists to watch” Birds Of Tokyo , who slapped a badass dragon, WW2-era bombers and more dates than the Saudis produce in a year on theirs. Who could say no to that?
As the night set in on Wednesday, those who had been enchanted by the magic of the brilliant poster wandered into The Greenroom and settled in for whatever it was they felt the dragon and bombers were promising… turned out it was for the thrumming Chili Peppers-esque sounds of Fistful Of Nothing , youth prodigies whose technical solidarity is unquestionable and whose sound is, while strictly unoriginal, really well presented. Not only were many of the audience blown away by the age factor, but the applause saved for the guitarist was indicative of a good deal of newfound respect for this rising force in local music.
Incredibly, Regular John , who are the official support for Birds Of Tokyo through the tour, were not really as impressive as their forerunners. Their primarily guitar and hair-driven performance was technically strong but lacked real lyrical substance. As they themselves proudly proclaim, “We ain’t a fashion band.” Evidently that translates into roughly, “We don’t get haircuts very often.” Fair enough. While they certainly have their fans, the audience was impatient for the main act to hit the stage, and no amount of ‘guitartistry’ blended with loud, quasi-screamo vocals were going to change their mind.
Sure enough, the crowd got what they had come for. Birds Of Tokyo , with amazing vocalist Ian Kenny dominating up front, were a breath of fresh air after the drier performance before. Their melodic and catchy songs have struck a chord with fans of lighter, more pop-rock style song construction without compromising on the technical proficiency of the musicians. Songs like Black Sheets and Off Kilter were great highlights in a set that held attention right the way through.
While it must be said that it was pretty clear the band was banking on Kenny’s vocals, as the rest of the instruments sounded held back, it can hardly be claimed as a weakness, such is the way it can mesmerise the listener. Full power to him, then, for perhaps using Birds Of Tokyo as a more mainstream-friendly vehicle than his other band, Karnivool .
As the night drew to a close, the audience seemed thoroughly thrilled with the headliners as they brought their album to the live format with very little lost in the process. While their official support, Regular John, were lacklustre and a little disappointing, the local boys from Fistful Of Nothing put on a great show. Birds Of Tokyo are certainly going to be a safe bet for continued brilliance both on-stage and with any new CDs, so keep an eye out for whenever next they return.
