Gig Review... The Horrors @ Brixton Academy, London, 25th May 2012

Tonight is The Horrors’ biggest UK show to date, headlining O2 Academy Brixton and playing to a near full venue by the time their set kicks off. This is The Horrors’ reward for their biggest year to date and the album that has finally broken them into the indie mainstream: ‘Skying’.

Before them is the matter of the support acts. Despite a modest crowd opening tonight’s proceedings very shortly after door time, Japanese noise-rockers Bo Ningen play a fantastic set. Loud, energetic and abrasive, they play through a short set of songs from their 2010 debut LP - clearly winning several new fans who weren’t previously acquainted with the band. Singer/bassist Taigen Kawabe concluded the set clutching at the air at the front of the stage swallowed in a wall of noise.

After this fantastic start to the night, Londoners Toy were second on. Much more known by tonight’s audience, their kraut/psych-rock jaunt goes down very well, their sound much more subtle in appeal. Their promise is evident, ’Left Myself Behind’ and ’Motoring’ in particular stand out, but were they ever going to be able to fulfil the crushing hype bestowed upon them?

Beak> are next to play with their repetitive kraut-rock drone. Geoff Barrow’s outfit play a great set, but the crowd are unimpressed and talk through their set. Their style is not new, but their initial releases sound good both on recording and here in Brixton. Only as their set concludes in a crescendo people start to take notice.



Then the headliners are on, and launch straight into the shoegaze explosion of ‘Mirror’s Image’, and then another ‘Primary Colours’ track, ‘Who Can Say’, anthemic and strident as ever. The first from ‘Skying’, the punchy and big-chorused ‘I Can See Through You’, is greeted with another rapturous reception along with ‘Scarlet Fields from the band’s sophomore LP. The panoramic-feeling ‘Changing The Rain’ feels suited to the large venue, and ‘Endless Blue’ feels the same, building up from a slow jam to jerky, driving guitars. ‘Sea Within A Sea’ builds from gloomy, dark repetition to intense noise. After ‘Ocean’s Burning’ is the first single from their third album ‘Still Life’, every word coming back at The Horrors in what is arguably their biggest hit.

They exit, albeit temporarily, and then play a two song encore of ‘You Said’, and a sprawling, frenzied rendition of ‘Moving Further Away’.

Even though it’s their first headline here, they seem totally at home with the adoring audience and this massive venue; The Horrors are here, and they’re here to stay.

Written by - Connor Browne

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