Gig Review: Holy Fuck Nuts

I went to see ‘Holy Fuck’ on Saturday. I can’t believe that anyone could witness the sheer effrontery of Holy Fuck's equipment, and their command of it, and walk away unimpressed. It’s like watching something from the future; the future as imagined in the 1970s. The Starship Enterprise Control Panel makes music, and the music tastes good.

My live cherry popping ‘Holy Fuck’ moment was at Lounge on the Farm earlier this year. Needless to say, I was gobsmacked. I missed their Brighton gig in April, this year, because ‘This Will Destroy You’ took precedence. I fobbed the fuckers off and a festival threw them right back at me. Coincidentally, both bands played Brighton this Saturday too. They should start sharing a bus, or more conveniently for me, playing on different nights. On Saturday night, Holy Fuck won the gig wars. A scrapheap challenge inspired looping machine has an undeniable draw. Watch that tape man; it like cave tape it's so old.

For their live show, Holy Fuck entertain a drummer, a bassist, two magicians, two metal tables, a salad of knobs, pedals, things that go wah wah, bim, bop or boom, and a sprinkling of keyboards. Sometimes, from the corner of the stage, garnish appears. What will it be next? An electronic tissue covered comb? The metal tables’ offerings are as organic as the music.

Stood directly in front of the stage, it took enormous reserve not to add my hand to the action. Brian Borcherdt’s tray of goodies was within reach and, at times, I might have stroked his beard. A man with that many gadgets is bound to be distracted sometimes. Part of me regrets not making a surreptitious attempt. Would anyone have noticed a misplaced and poorly timed twiddle or a little beard stroking?

So what about the music? Is it worthy of the title ‘HOLY FUCK!”? Well ‘Lovely Allen’ has to be a serious contender for 2008 greatness. It fills the room, soars through the gaping holes in my mind and steals the air from my mouth. For the most part, Holy Fuck create music that’s best seen in process. It should blast from a million speakers and reverberate forever. It’s no twee sing along. It's something to behold and almost touch. I almost touched. I was a small and interfering hand away.

Fabpants Recommends: Restlesslist. Yes, only fifteen people in Brighton make music, and Brakes and Electric Soft Parade have spawned a new baby. Their support slot on Saturday was most certainly noteworthy. These are my notes. Check out their MySpace, skip the first song ‘The Shoe that Fits...’ (a Pipettes remix that makes me want to be sick), and listen to the rest, from ‘Butlin Breaks’ onwards. Whilst supporting Holy Fuck, they were undeniably shambolic between songs, but otherwise impressive. Their album “The Rise and Fall of the Curtain Club” might be available for a spot of shoplifting in a store near you.

Download MP3: Restlesslist - Butlin Breaks (courtesy of www.chromewaves.net)