There were only two bands on the King Tut’s bill last night instead of the usual three or four – but no one was complaining.
Tanera Heights from the north of Scotland got things off to a good start with a powerful set of potent rock songs. The three piece band creates a big sound, their guitarist on lead vocals backed by a keyboard player who also plays bass and a drummer. The vocals were a little indistinct on the early tracks but these guys can clearly play. They have an EP out at the moment and Endgame from that release was the highlight of the set.
Fight Like Apes brought their alt rock sound from Dublin and produced a show that was both musically excellent and visually entertaining. In fact at times it felt like a performance art piece and the large crowd loved every minute.
Singer Mary-Kate Geraghty, MayKay to friends and fans alike, is the undoubted centre of attention. She stands in the middle of the stage, sometimes playing a small synth, at others clutching the mic stand as she sings. Her vocals run all the way from perfect rock to banshee screaming, like an Irish Siouxsie Sioux.
But Jamie "Pockets" Fox on keyboards also loves the limelight. On several occasions he ran across the stage to stand and stare into the audience for several seconds before returning to his position. He also waded into the crowd carrying a long metal pole after handing a similar weapon to MayKay. The two then battered them together as a very different way of setting the beat.
Meanwhile Tom Ryan on bass simply stood and played powerful bass lines, impassive and solid, while new drummer Lee Boylan seemed to have a smile on his face throughout the entire set as he pounded the skins.
Much of the set came from new album The Body Of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner, although several favourites from Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion were also played. These guys clearly love their album titles.
There were many highlights in a set that bristled with an electric energy and a dynamism that enthused the crowd. The single Jenny Kelly was chaotic and charming, a fine keyboard part complementing the vocals. Lend Me Your Face saw MayKay kneeling at the front of the stage and leaning into the audience as she sang, before offering them the mic to complete the chorus.
Katmandu featured a long introduction before the vocals kicked in, with MayKay twisting and whirling like a dervish, her long black hair flying everywhere. And old favourite Jake Summers really got the crowd going with its fast tempo and sing along lyrics.
The set ended with a rousing version of Snore Bore Whore, a slightly slower track that featured soulful vocals before the keyboards rose to one last crescendo. The band briefly exited before returning for an encore.
Pull Off Your Arms and Battlestations were played before the band closed the night’s entertainment by throwing the keyboards to the ground and kicking the drums over as they left the stage. What a way to end a gig.
Fight Like Apes really know how to entertain an audience, and the number of hard core fans singing along to every word was a testament to their attraction. This is a band you should make a point of seeing live if you get the chance.
