At the tail end of what was likely a hectic week for many in attendance at the Barfly this past Friday, getting the chance to let their hair down would be an understandable relief. Turbowolf frontman Chris Georgiadis, meanwhile, has had much of his hair lopped off since the last time 7bitarcade caught the frenzied four-piece, though as always the Bristol-based outfit would aim to infect another crowd with their unique energy. In tow were Hounds, purveyors of a chaotic brand of electro-punk that would – and most likely do – make the Prodigy go weak at the knees. If any other pair of bands can come together with such explosive potential, then we’re yet to be made aware of them. As far as the Barfly was concerned on Friday, however, there were only two bands in the universe worth taking on – and they both kicked serious arse.
Hounds are not the sort of band to prolong a slow start, and unsurprisingly the incendiary quartet kick things off strong. ‘Shark In The Water’ is elected as the opening track, and the walls of the Barfly seem to shudder with each thunderous drum kick. Both of the band’s Begin Transmission EPs are given a decent airing during a set which feels criminally short; while Hounds have plenty of time to belt out the highlights of their brief time as a band thus far. ‘Whiteout’ and ‘In Your Eyes’ ensure the quartet’s most recent release garners a powerful impression, while ‘Wicked Witch’ seems to blow everything else out of the atmosphere. If not for ‘Stigmata’, of course. The piledriving drumline that drives the track on record is thrown to whole new levels of viciousness in a live setting, ensuring that any early comers stumbling in with limited knowledge of Turbowolf’s supporting act leave with a firm recollection of just how fierce Hounds really are.
It’s indisputable, however, that Turbowolf are indeed the night’s main attraction. And thanks in pat to a far longer set, the Sheffield outfit are untouchable as the highlight of the night. The recent run of shows, dubbed “a small tour of new music”, was a chance to showcase tracks from the band’s upcoming sophomore record, alongside more prominent efforts from their solo effort. Luckily, tough unsurprisingly, Turbowolf’s new music sounds just as close to album one as you could hope for; more of the same with an extra coat of bass-heavy polish thrown on after for some added firepower. Since its recent release as a taster track for the new record, ‘Solid Gold’ has been winning over fans new and old, and even a quick trip to the bar for bassist Lianna Lee Davies doesn’t hamper the four-piece’s seamless chemistry with lack of experience performing the newer tracks clearly a non-factor. It’s the more established tracks that will stand out, however, and naturally ‘Read and Write’, ‘Seven Severed Heads’ and ‘Rose For The Crows’ each sound as staggering as always. An almost feral Turbowolf lay waste to the a packed out Barfly, orchestrators of a high-volume, high-intensity party at their raucous best. New tracks continue to fill out an already stacked setlist, and the band themselves remain on a level of form that most veterans can only dream of.
It feels like the night ends far too soon. Hounds’ support slot was a brief one, but it would be hard to complain if Turbowolf had enjoyed a set twice as long as what they were able to offer. Such a gripe, however, is flattened by a mountain of positives to a night where two of the United Kingdom’s hottest decibel meter-challenging prospects collide with predictably scorching results. Leading into a festival season where both bands are out and about, each quartet needed to get the cogs turning again with performances of the highest order. Neither ever came close to disappointing, and now all there is to think about is how long until we can witness them do it all again.
Turbowolf links: Facebook / Twitter / Youtube
Hounds links: Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud / Youtube / Website
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