Alien Ant Farm
Mean Fiddler
Live Review
For a band that’s warming up for
Reading this was a low-key gig but despite that, 15 minutes
after the doors had opened most of the floor space had
gone. There was only one support act who had possibly one
of the stupidest names I’ve ever seen, The Boo Koo
Movement, so I was apprehensive about what music they’d
play. I needn’t have worried, the first song was
straight 70s rock, Iggy Pop style.
There was a bit of variation in a few 90s indie rock melodies
but it felt like they were trying too hard at being the
support act and joking about the crowd
not really knowing who they were. However they had a massive effect on the crowd
and for the first time I saw a support band inspire moshing. For all that, they
weren’t that impressive although they did get better and the singer put
me off by, perhaps nervously, overdoing the whole rock star thing. Not the best
support act in my opinion.
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Alien Ant Farm are much better live than on record especially
hit single ‘Movies’. From the start the guitarist,
Terry Corso and bassist, Tye Zamora, put a lot of energy into
the set pretty much skipping and bouncing around. Their music
too is a lot different from the singles which were quite poppy
but most of their sounds are dark and twisted and actually
surprised me. Those expecting Movies-style
tunes would’ve been disappointed because even that had an edge to it live
that it didn’t have on record.
Singer, Dryden Mitchell, appeared to be uncomfortable on stage at first not saying
much (he even said ‘I don’t have much to say’) and moving awkwardly
without the energy Corso and Zamora were using up. In fact he looked wrapped
up in himself but the fans who were there had obviously seen the band before
didn’t appear to care and were doing the signs (pointing with your index
finger). Mitchell did connect on that front touching the tips of fans’ fingers
with the tip of his own.
The sound is quite varied and some songs were a bit lighter, maybe emo touched
with dub, so not all tracks were heavy metally sorts. Eventually Mitchell began
to loosen up and start chatting with the crowd before launching into another
song, Sarah, which had elements of another Alien Ant Farm song (‘Wish’).
Clearly band members getting injured us a regular thing as he also ‘promise[d]
not to break his neck, just breaking wind.’
They were quite a surprise to me and not at all the novelty band I was expecting
after only really hearing the hit singles. The highlight of the evening had to
be the most unlikely of covers: a ska version of Sade’s ‘Smooth Operator’ which
really, really got the crowd going. This was after Mitchell ran a straw poll
(by the amount of cheers for each option) of whether the crowd wanted either
a Black Sabbath cover, a Sade cover, or a Michael Jackson cover. Sade was the
last minute winner. I really, really enjoyed myself and Alien Ant Farm are an
entertaining band live, well worth going to see.
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