¡Forward, Russia! @ Mercury Lounge, NYC 6/14/06
They all turned out for ¡Forward, Russia!'s sold-out NYC debut last night: critics, bloggers, sing-along super fans (chanting to an album slated for a September States side release). You can call us all three. We've been waiting for 'em since last September, and just hearing Katie Nicholls sound check behind the kit -- yelling "1, 2, 3, 4" into her vocal mic -- was enough to get us frothy. The band (and their song titles) may be all about the numbers, but they sure as shit ain’t by them. ¡Forward, Russia! was fierce. The crowd was slayed. Another U.K. import done good.
"Thirteen" kicked it off, and it took about as many seconds for Tom Woodhead to begin a total assault on himself and the stage. Using histrionic yelps, spastic convulsions and a mic cord that doubled as tourniquet and noose, Woodhead wore every bit of the frenetic neurotica fueling each four-minute sound explosion. And it got him sweaty. Asking for a towel, he got the shirt off a guy's back. "Really? I sweat a lot." He smiled and wiped down his head. "That was a bad decision.”
The only derailing moment came during a tuning lag after "Sixteen" (see, that's how you know you're at a NYC buzz show). But a brief bit of foot-shifting later, "Fifteen (Pt I)" was on. Thunderous rhythm section crashes. Stabbing guitars. Forgiven and forgotten. Except for maybe that whiplash we're dealing with. ¡Bastards!
"Pretentious post-punk" is an easy write off for a band that references Einstein and Hemingway, plays with punctuation and has numerically named songs with no apparent sequence (the numbers indicate the order recorded, not their track listing; relax!). But a kick-ass album and must-see live show later, you'll let it out for Leeds. Gang of Four's seminal sound must still be in that water, 'cause the city – and its New Yorkshire scene – has given us another serious player in the permutation of punk.
The setlist:
Put these on your iPod, funny guy.
¡Forward, Russia! - "Fifteen Pt. I" (MP3 Link Expired)
¡Forward, Russia! - "Nine" (MP3 Link Expired)
Posted at 12:58 PM in Concert
Tags: ¡Forward Russia!
Huh huh, you said woodhead. huh huh
Score = 0
They're awesome but less of the "New Yorkshire" or "Gangs Of New Yorkshire" please.
Score = 0
i am predisposed to dislike this kind of band, but 'permutation of punk' is a great phrase. so good for you.
Score = 0
Can't wait for the LA show! We will have pics and review by Monday.
Score = 0
First "Four" doesn't make the album, and now it's not even on their setlists. Damn them.
Score = 0
sorry but this band is one of the worst i've heard in ages
really
honestly
listen closely IT SUCKS
Score = 0
I really like this band but seriously, as if they wouldn't get confused reading the set list. How do you remember which numbers are which?
http://www.musictimes.com.au
Score = 0
i cant help but call think of whirlwind heat when i see what this band is trying to be. whirlwind heat color-coded their songs, this band just numbers them. also, the band wheres shirts with the same graphics on them, kind of like what whirlwind heat does.
fuckin posers. write some good music.
Score = 0
yeah yeah! my friends from webdatedotcom are psyched to go to the next one.. a lot of people there does music review and write ups published for various magazines..
Score = 0
Another band with exclamation points in their name. But one of them is upside down! +1 Hipter point.
Score = 0
(sigh) -1 Grammar point for me.
Score = 0
These guys sold out a show? Was it at the Derivative Concert Hall?
Score = 0
I love them. That Tom cat is a madman on stage. Seriously! Awesome.
Score = 0
peabody nailed it
Score = 0
This is genius and it isnt every band that could cover this stuff and play it tight and im sure there isnt a singer in the world that sounds like Tom Woodhead, hugely under rated band
Score = 0
absolutely marvellous! Who gives a musicalogical monkeys if these fine chaps are the devil incarnatte or the basrtard sons (and daughters) of delta five and oft quoted G of 4 Leeds apocrofal pop beat combos.
keep it up chaps. numbers are infinate3.
cjheerypips
dadaboy
Score = 0
absolutely marvellous! Who gives a musicalogical monkeys if these fine chaps are the devil incarnatte or the basrtard sons (and daughters) of delta five and oft quoted G of 4 Leeds apocrofal pop beat combos.
keep it up chaps. numbers are infinate3.
cjheerypips
dadaboy
Score = 0