Project CONCUBINE kicked off an electronic/alternative/post punk (or simply “new posh”) event, that sets new standards.
Project CONCUBINE live on stage is like a “war declaration”. Powerful, uncompromising, captivating and just great to watch!
But let me start from the beginning.
Fashion muse and Project CONCUBINE’s singer Jera Diarc stated in an interview for Flux Magazine last year: “We are a part of an upcoming wave. We are the ‘New Posh’”
And on 9th February, that statement seemed to take even more shape at the legendary “The Dublin Castle” Camden, which hosted the 1st “NEW POSH CLUB” Night.
Announced was this evening; which was, what the name already suggests, the first one, so more will follow; as “electronic, dark pop, post-punk” finest and thus reflects the current and future vibe in the London music scene, which is moving away from regular indie bands and more and more into a wild electronic, punk, club music orgies. Well known represented by artists like Lynks a London based masked “drag monster” Dance/Electronic act.
This announcement wasn’t just promising, it was promise keeping and one of the best live music events I attended since the ease of Lockdown restrictions.
Chasing, hurling and carrying me through this night was the “NEW POSH CLUB” Night’s handpicked line up : Project CONCUBINE, Leg Puppy, Palindrones and Megalash.
The evening opened with Megalash a quite new London based synth-led post punk band of five. Their sound is hazy and distorted and gave me this romanticized feeling of being in a venue filled with cigarette smoke back in the 80s, where you can only guess how many people are on stage right now. Their stage appearance on the other hand was young and refreshing and their show and chosen set, slowly prepared me for what was to come in the course of the night. Their sound is carried by dual voices, presented by their frontman and front woman, while from time to time their drummer responses with an echolike voice. They were wild and driving with a melancholic and calm touch.
In the stage background is a banner with “NEW POSH CLUB” projected in big letters on it. This banner will tear off in the heat of the night.
Next up was Palindrones aSouth-East London based multi-instrumental Techtronica, Synth Drone duo. As they started their set, the evening continued to pick up speed and turned into a club-music scene like atmosphere, partially accompanied by a punk-like blistering sound. Their stage presence was somehow static and graceful. The show of the two is exactly how you would imagine techno monks on stage, when the machines took over the world, he bangs on the electro-drum set, and she sings with a voice: which reminded me of Polarkreis 18’ song “Allein, Allein”: while you are preparing yourself through celebration for the uprising.
And this uprising was presented by Project CONCUBINE A London based electronic/alternative dark house band. As they entered the stage, a loud barking from a pack of dogs rang from the speakers while their singer Jera shouted to the audience to build a pack, showing his palm with a black circle on it and his fellow band member; her stage outfit looked like a creature drawn by Tim Burton, just more colourful, with a flesh-coloured mask on that only gave an idea of the contours of a face, adorned with bright yellow braids: drew a black circle on her left palm, ran into the audience and branded anyone who held out their hand with a black circle as well.
When the barking and howling reached its peak and came to an abrupt end, a merciless techno beat fired through the boxes and led you through an electronic, warm and screeching sound that increased one peak and one climax after the next. With a groovy and melodic bass line in the background Jera sang the line “We gonna change this towns direction”. Which gave me the feeling that we are all meant; while I was branded with a circle on my palm belonging to a pack; we will change the direction of this city. Quite cool. The whole scenario turned into the next, machine-gun like, track with the lines “We gonna bring this world down” dual voice supported by a megaphone sound and barking. The beat was more than just danceable. It’s like an avalanche. You have to move your body to the beat and reminded me, because of its speed and hardness, of “brutal death/trash metal” or hard techno.
As I mentioned already in the beginning: Project CONCUBINE on stage are like a “war declaration”. While waving occasionally a black flag during their wild performance, they mixed the dark and disarming with the glamorous and groundbreaking. The set was completed by songs like “Fuck Daddy”; which was among others reviewed by Elina May for Flux Magazine; and “Trigger Happy” which conveyed a great, menacing but sexy, house club feeling.
What a great night so far. Despite the diversity in the musical performance of the various acts, everything seemed to have some kind of logical sequence which dissolved in electronic madness called Leg Puppy an electro psych multimedia outfit which presented themselves with two members. While one (kind of henchmen) dressed in a black leather coat and a plague mask just stood there took the other; ( the singer) dressed with a in neon colours glowing mask; the loop machine over and opened the show with a triangle and wobbly electro chants from the off. The sound was driven by techno beats and raving performed like a school class on xtc, peppered with cheeky and snotty lyrics.
At the end of the evening; a music- box rang out from the speakers on the stage; I had one or the other conversation with the audience and they had all one in common. They were thirsty for more events like this this wild electronic, punk, club music orgies. And so am I.
Upcoming dates for the “NEW POSH CLUB” Night so far.
9th March 2022 “The Dublin Castle” Camden, 94 Parkway, London NW1 7AN – Doors: 19:30 PM
21st April 2022 “AMP Studios”, 897a Old Kent Rd, London SE15 1NL – Doors: 10:00 PM
For updates have a look here: https://linktr.ee/projectconcubine
Reviewed by Liz M. Reed
#newposh #electronicmusic #londongigs #clubmusic #camden #postpunk #darkpop #projectconcubine #legpuppy #megalash #palindrones #jeradiarc #livemusicevents
