[kj] Live Review: Killing Joke – Cardiff (The Razors Edge)

[Paul]

https://therazorsedge.rocks/2022-03-live-review-killing-joke-cardiff/


*Live Review: Killing Joke – Cardiff*

[image: 1.jpg]


*Live Review: Killing Joke - Transhed, Cardiff**28th March 2022*
Support: The Imbeciles
Words & Photos: Paul Hutchings

The gatherers assembled. Despite the reasonably balmy temperatures on this
late March evening in the Welsh capital, there’s always a dark coolness to
an audience with Killing Joke. For a band who formed in 1979, their
longevity remains amazing. The band’s first gigs for over three years, and
the new ‘Lord of Chaos’ EP the first new music since 2015’s ‘Pylon’
provided enough incentive to provoke a decent turnout for a Monday evening
and the first night of the ‘Honour the Fire’ tour, which will see the band
conclude at Hammersmith Odeon on April 9th.

Opening for such legendary artists must be something of a double-edged
sword. The opportunity to play to guaranteed large audiences is countered
by the intense loyalty that a Killing Joke audience summon for their
heroes. Regardless of those challenges, *The Imbeciles* brought their post
punk sound to the Tramshed, and their 30-minute set provided opportunity
for the early arrivals to sample their wares.

Although it was a rather muted start, once they had gathered their
composure and hit their stride, their combination of The Monkees, The
Stooges and The MC5 hit a nerve with many in the audience. With the
five-piece strung across the stage, there wasn’t much in the way of room
for extra expression although vocalist and bassist John Kent swung his bass
with wild abandon and founder member Butch Dante did his best to insert
some fire into the proceedings with windmilling arms and the odd rabbit
jump. With drummer Charlie Culbert nailing the central rhythm, The
Imbeciles slowly found their groove, and ensured that by the end of their
set the warm applause confirmed that this was job done.
[image: 2.jpg]

An evening with *Killing Joke* is more akin to a religious experience than
a music concert. There’s a seriousness on the front row, the hardcore
Gatherers assembled for an evening of devotion. It’s been the original line
up of Jaz Coleman, Youth, Geordie Walker, and Paul Ferguson since 2008 and
the band are almost telepathic in their movement and interactions.

It's all eyes on Jaz as the band assemble on stage, his back turned, giant
ant painted on the back of his black jumpsuit. They launch into their most
famous song, ‘Love Like Blood’, and the church of Killing Joke is suddenly
in full voice. It’s a clever move, getting those non-devotees on board
early and getting a song which is unrepresentative of their more industrial
post-punk sound out of the way. “What comes after a pandemic” quizzes Jaz,
before the band kick into the anthemic ‘Wardance’. The place is rocking,
arms raised to the sky, pogoing and dancing commenced.

And so, it continues for the best part of two hours. Anchored by the
incredibly reliable Paul Ferguson whose drumming is mesmerising, Killing
Joke rely on Coleman’s maniacal visual imagery, powerful speeches about the
current state of the world and their relentless grinding music to do the
necessary. They cover tracks from a multitude of albums, including the new
single ‘Lords of Chaos’, as well as fan favourites including ‘Turn to Red’,
‘Loose Canon’ and ‘Pssyche’. A five-song plunder of 1980’s eponymous debut
shows that the band’s music is rather timeless, slotting in alongside more
recent tracks from ‘Absolute Dissent’ and ‘Pylon.’

Time may have moved on, but Geordie and Youth continue to nail it every
night. They don’t move much, although I think Geordie did turn around once
whilst Youth occasionally punches the air. Otherwise, they are content with
ensuring that they pump out the riffs and maintain the heaviness which
attracts so many from across the musical fan world to their shows.
Ultimately, it’s Jaz that is both mouthpiece and spokesman for the band and
he’s an eloquent and captivating frontman.

Concluding the evening with three of their most appropriate songs,
‘Requiem’ the darkness of ‘I Am the Virus’ and ‘Pandemonium’, Killing Joke
demonstrated once more that they remain a relevant and important band. See
them if you can.

[image: 3.jpg]
All photo credits: Paul Hutchings
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