It's been years since the last time I saw a show at the Roundhouse.
When we got there, first support act Jason Webley was playing away inside while we were stuck in a massive, twisting line outside waiting to get it. When we finally got indoors, Jason says goodbye and we were left with a crowd heckling Jay Katz on stage. I personally think it's a fantastic idea to have an mc up there talking shit in between sets.
Second support band, the Red Paintings, didn't seem to know the meaning of the word overkill. There were some body painters at work on the sides, more painters down the front, and a projection of some black and white cult horror, mutant-boy trash flick. The singer was in a shiny green robe and armed with flashing toy guns, there were also a cello and a violin player dressed in traditional Japanese costume, and, who knows, the drum player and the bass player may have been doing something nutty as well. I don't know, I spent most of the show watching the adventures of mutant-boy projected on to the second level. It really was too much.
What of the actual music? Underneath all that theatrics, it actually sounded damn good! Loud rock with some anti-establishment rambling about running to the suburbs and spying on your neighbours. Quite interesting, definitely a band I'll keep an eye out for in future.
Before the dolls came on, Jason Webley came back with an accordion to teach the crowd a drinking song. This being an all ages event with the bar on another level, most of the people down front were sober kids. So the enthusiastic showman teaches them all how to magically get drunk right away. Damn entertaining, really makes me regret not turning up earlier to catch his full show.
Dresden Dolls. It wasn't really my idea to go see them, but I'm glad I got dragged along. Have read reviews complaining about a drums and piano act being a bit stale because they're stuck in the one position behind their instruments, but I had no problem feeling the energy they were radiating out to the crowd tonight. Their songs are of course their own unique little beasts, that whole punk cabaret thing they've made their own. But they also did some covers, Black Sabbath, Fugazi, even a joke Bon Jovi cover in the end with Jason Webley back on stage, they managed to make all those songs their own as well, giving it that unique Dresden Dolls spin. A fantastic night out, all ages gig meaning a much more enthusiastic crowd and fun atmosphere than the typical cynical posers and their negativity.