The beginning of January is never a good time for gigs, everyone is on juice cleansers and generally trying feebly to write the wrong of a full month of gluttony and boozy excess. January is no friend of rock and roll and it might explain the less than packed crowd in the Garage for New York noise quintet Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Despite this there is a hardcore following down the front hyped for the gig while the more cautious followers lurk near the back keeping a safe distance from anyone purporting to act like they are at a rock and roll gig. The first thing you notice with Cymbals Eat Guitars is just how feral frontman Joseph D'Agostino looks even at the start of the gig he prowls around the stage with bulging eyeballs and lashing of sweat.
It's a set largely made up from their most recent LP - 'LOSE'. 'Warning' is indicative of the new approach that they've taken with the new record. The overwrought and at times over complicated musicianship that could be found on their sophomore album 'Lenses Alien' has been toned down and refined. Those skilful riffs are still there but there is clear and coherent structure with a chorus that hooks you right in first time and it retains the little quirks people identify with the band such as the soaring crescendo.
Their music is as sprawling live as it is on record, but just like on record it's a difficult listen which at times pays off but also noticeably often it doesn't hit and can even start to eek, grate, barb and paw at your brain. They straddle a line between punk rock and post rock but never quite fitting into either and instead veer off on their own maverick trip riffing without a care for which pigeon hole someone like me may try to put them into.
It is this easily identifiable love for what they do that emanates from the stage making you warm to them a little bit more even if you aren't totally sold on every track. They are out there kicking it on their own terms and that's pretty bad ass whatever you think of the music.
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.