Institute of Contemporary Arts

Metronomy / Primary1 / Thecocknbullkid

Date: 25 February 2008

Metronomy. Photo: Gabriel Green

Jahan Nazeer

With such a great line-up, live music at the ICA was surely the best way to start the week. Top of the bill tonight, Metronomy, with support from Primary1 and Thecocknbullkid. The acts had definitely drawn a healthy crowd of excitable party people and cool music lovers, and there was a real atmosphere around the place as I arrived. Putting my Monday blues on hold, I grabbed a drink and headed for the main room.

Thecocknbullkid, a.k.a. Anita Blay, is a singer/songwriter based in London. Taking the stage with her band, there was a certain understated diva quality about her. Backed tonight by guitar, keyboard and live drums along with some programmed beats, her music was fresh and interesting. Dead-pan delivery, witty lyrics and an effortlessly good voice. Thecocknbullkid eased slowly into her set, coolly bopping around the stage, delivering a fine selection of material including the Metronomy-produced 'On My Own'. Other highlights were hip hop/electro tune There's a Mother In Our Bed which got the heads nodding and Matters of the Heart, a pop-rock track that has that 'end of a 80's film' feel to it. An up 'n coming artist who's worth looking out for in the near future, but don't take my word for it... go check her myspace!

Next up Primary1, a.k.a. Joe Flory, a London-based producer, multi-instrumentalist and singer. Playing tonight with band members Oscar Cash and Lauren Verge, his style of electropop with high energy stage presence soon had the main room bouncing. Synth chords, squelching bass lines and truly funky vocals were coupled with a dance-floor charged, hands-in-the-air, rave mentality, sending the ICA crowd nuts. Primary1 is one of those live acts who seems to be having such a good time performing his material: it is near impossible to not catch the vibes. His quick-fire set included Heart Rate Rapid (Primary1's love letter to Metronomy), and his new single Hold Me Down, a fantastic track with a super-catchy chorus and half-rapped/half-sung verses. Often anthemic, his music and entire performance were both uplifting and exhilarating. The atmosphere in the crowd had reached serious party levels as Primary1 left the stage. I can't believe we won't be seeing a lot more of this guy.

So, two down and one to go, Metronomy, a.k.a. Joseph Mount, was ready to begin. This was to be his first headlining set in London and by the looks of things, no punches would be pulled. He took the stage flanked by Oscar Cash and Gabriel Lebbing, in near complete darkness. Indeed, lighting and the general visual aspect of the performance was as much of an asset as the absolutely banging tunes. Each member of the band wore a circular lamp around their neck and used these as a kind of synchronised effect when bringing musical phrases in and out. Programmed drums, electric guitar, keyboards, saxophone, sound fx and lots of filthy synth stuff was all in the pot, put together tightly into dance-floor monsters. Joined onstage by an all-blonde group of female dancers, also donning lamp pendants, the band swiftly jumped from one insanely danceable riff to the next, turning the temperature to boiling point and leaving little to no time to catch a breath. With some of the material being straight instrumental dance tracks and some featuring Joseph's vocals, the set had a nice balance between showcase and out and out party. Stand out tunes included Heartbreaker, current single Radio Ladio, and the massive Black Eye Burnt Thumb which absolutely tore it down. Metronomy certainly seems to be getting around at the moment, with lots of remix work going on as well as a UK tour. If the Metronomy show stops anywhere near you, make sure you don't miss it!

Metronomy. Photo: Gabriel Green

Primary1. Photo: Gabriel Green

Thecocknbullkid. Photo: Gabriel Green