Deerhoof

Deerhoof

Aug 19

NOT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIOSHIPS

When: 8 August 2018
Where: Stereo
Support: Quodega; Banana Oil

It is an eclectic line-up of bands tonight with the main link probably being the word ‘independent’. Both supports go down well: Banana Oil are a trio of modern contemporary jazz players (sax, bass, drums) who blast away with joyful abandon; Quodega were excellent but with their own distinctive take on the sort of post-rock bands like God Is An Astronaut play.

Deerhoof’s music is fiercely independent with their 14 albums spanning indie rock, experimental pop, punk and noise rock. And tonight we get a bit of everything: from ‘Polly Bee’ (from their first album The Man, The King, And The Girl) to a selection of songs from their latest album Mountain Moves, including the wonderfully titled ‘I Will Spite Survive’ and ‘Come Down Here And Say That’ (a very Glaswegian sounding title). It is impressive how the band moves smoothly from one musical style to another, infusing each with their own dna.

Unusually the band’s ‘mc’ is not vocalist and bassist Satomi Matsuzaki (although she does contribute some very cute dancing) but angular drummer Greg Saunier, who does the intro at the beginning of the set and provides the rest of the verbal interaction with the crowd throughout the set, his pent-up energy mirroring the band’s. And his drumming, with its experimental bent, anchors the band’s sound. What I find surprising is that even at their punkiest, the band exude control – in this they remind me a bit of Talking Heads.

The event had been moved from its original venue due to the ongoing aftermath of the Glasgow Art School fire but Stereo more than steps up to the mark. The place is packed (the audience ignoring the enticement of the free, and generally very good, music not 5 minutes away in George Square as part of the ongoing European Championships) and Deerhoof do not disappoint the expectant crowd. By the end of the set we are sweaty and happy – and looking forward to the next time the band visit Glasgow.

 

Band page

 

Sample video