I bloody love these guys.  When I first heard their debut Horse Of The Dog on it’s release 10 years ago, *feels old*,  I could NOT stop listening to it.  Clocking in at just over 25 minutes it grabs you by the scruff of the neck, screams in your face and lacerates you with Cramps/Birthday Party-style guitars that momentarily made me think I should perhaps listen to a nice safe band like Travis……but that didn’t last.

Fast-forward 10 years, only two more albums, an almost Spinal Tap-esque rotation of guitarists and the re-release of their single ‘Chicken’ (which was used in a recent Nike advert) and suddenly all feels right in the world.  Re-forming after splitting up in March 2010 with ALMOST the original lineup, (no Tom on drums?) there’s a real sense of excitement in the academy tonight. Andy Huxley who left in 2005 due to that old chestnut ‘musical differences’ is back on lead guitar and they sound EXACTLY as brilliant as they did back in the day, (during Huxley’s feedback-drowned solo on ‘Pyschosis Safari’ it sounded like the Kraken had been released).

Opening with the creepy ‘Freud’s Black Muck’ from 2005’s ‘The Royal Society’, it’s just a non-stop assault on the ears (in a good way you understand).  They only play songs from their first two albums, (leaving out 2010’s ‘Blood and Fire’) and a couple of b-sides but to be honest the omission of their last long player was no big loss bar a couple of decent tunes.  The crowd sang/screamed along to most of the words and there seemed to be a genuine feeling of relief to have ’em back.

And then there’s Guy.  Mr. Guy McKnight Mr. Mental himself.  What a bloody frontman, he never disappoints.  Sounding like Elvis being molested by Kurt (enduring image) with his forays into the crowd to scream lyrics into their ecstatic  faces you just can’t take your eyes off him……he won’t let you.  You just feel this is a band that gives you their all and the appreciation from the crowd is more than obvious.

So what happens now?  They play Camden’s Electric Ballroom on Halloween and then………..who knows.  HOPEFULLY another album, (please x10) but if not………well at least I’ve seen ’em tear the academy a new one.  Oh and I got a couple of cool t-shirts from the merch stall.

Here’s the setlist if you care

1. Freud’s Black Muck
2. Celebrate Your Mother
3. Alex
4. Whack Of Shit
5. Chicken
6. Torrential Abuse
7. I Rejection
8. Puppy Dog Snails
9. Giant Bones
10. Charge The Guns
11. Team Meat
12. Temple Music
13. Morning Has Broken
14. Rise Of The Eagles
15. Psychosis Safari
16. Fishfingers
17. Presidential Wave
18. The Way Of The Men Of The Stuff