Live Review: LISP/Petey's Dead/Methods @ Keoss Studios, Tel Aviv [8th September 2016]

Awww yehh! New band time! Tonight, I've come to Keoss studios in Tel Aviv (which has suddenly been doing more and more shows) to check out the debut shows for two punk trios. One is practically a supergroup and the other is a sort of reboot of a previous band.

Methods

Starting off the night is alt. rock/metal/punk/whatever trio Methods. Methods have been quickly gaining recognition and rightly so! I've already been impressed by their previous performances and their tracks online. Tonight, they start off their set a little differently than I remember, with a more progressive and jazzy instrumental, slightly reminiscent of bands like And So I Watch You From Afar and 65daysofstatic. Although not normally my thing, it still has enough groove and interesting parts to make my head sway. From there on in, the band continue with their own blend of alt. rock sensibilities and technical musicianship. Throughout their set, a mixture of different bands come to mind, including alternative legends Therapy?, post-hardcore band Quicksand, British metallers Earthtone9 and even fast melodic punk band Strung Out. The already familiar Sub-dimension and 1.1 have a few heads bobbing and the rest of the set is equally enjoyable. Drummer, Vladi, might have a few fumbles tonight here and there, but he is still one of the best technical drummers I've seen.The band are difficult to pigeonhole, but that makes them more intriguing and exciting.

3.5/5

Petey's Dead

Coming from the remains of the fairly unknown SaveIT, Petey's Dead still play the same Flatliners inspired punk. As well as new material, the band play the odd SaveIT track, such as the punchy and thought provoking Dennihalation In The Middle East from said band's first EP. The band may tackle quite political and serious subjects but do it subtly, which makes for good listening. There is nothing quite mind blowing about their performance but the material is incredibly well written. With guitarist Matan now in the ever-popular Not On Tour, Petey's Dead are getting more recognition and chances to play than SaveIT, so hopefully the music will start to speak for itself at shows and things will pick up.

3/5

LISP

While Petey's Dead is practically the same band with a new name, LISP is yet another product of different members of different bands wanting to create something new together. In this case, not only do we have Not On Tour bassist, Nir, and Kids Insane drummer, Yoni, but former Kids Insane guitarist, Assaf, is also on board.

Despite all being talented musicians from very reputable bands, LISP isn't quite the blend of hardcore and skater punk one was expecting. Instead, the songs tend to go along a more pop-punk vibe. As pleasant as the songs are, nothing quite grabs you or shocks you at all. Yoni's drumming does stand out, although not purely because of his skills like in previous bands. His heavy handed and more hardcore style comes off sounding a little out of place with the songs themselves.

Despite only having played one show, LISP are already in the process of making an album. It could very well be that their songs are just growers, so they might sound better on record. Either way, I'm looking forward to checking it out.

2.5/5

Live Review: Liberating Justice Mini-Fest @ Gagarin, Tel Aviv [29th July 2016]

Ganza

Eternal Struggle

Knees Please

Methods

Almonim Metim

Elephant Hive

Tonight, the Gagarin club in south Tel Aviv sees a coming together of bands of different genres in order to collect donations of tinned food, clothes, condiments and other such items for refugee children. The event has been put on by Eternal Struggle members for the Elifelet charity.

Elephant Hive

First on tonight is Elephant Hive. They are a crazy rock duo who play really short cuts of instrumental experimental rock. The idea and the energy is great but, from a drummer's point of view, the drumming is a little too over the top and sometimes doesn't sit well with the guitar. It feels at times that the drummer's choices are kind of unnecessary. He even uses an upside down champagne bucket (of sorts) at times which mostly sounds great but has its moments where it is out of place. The guitar riffs are actually good but there are some "songs" which feel totally unfinished, such as Tom Shush, which suddenly stops as it was just getting going. They certainly have talent but just feels too much like a jam band at the moment.

3/5

Almonim Metim

I've reviewed noisy punk outfit Almonim Metim (Anonymous Dead) before and even played a show with them (with Woolly Boy) but each time I tend to hear something new. On the surface, they are just a "shouty band" but beyond singer Anastasia's screams, there is Amit's jangly guitar, Benjamin's soulful bass lines and Ben's interesting drumming that give them something a little different. It even sometimes brings up elements of surf or 60s rock which not many expect to hear in "screamo hardcore punk." 

The screaming does get repetitive at times and this isn't the most energetic I've seen Anastasia (one time she came up to me and screamed in my face). The band in general are a little agitated already by the age restriction hindering friends from coming in, so that might have something to do with it. I think they have something special musically but the vocals could do with more dynamic changes to keep in with the dynamics of the music itself and just to keep things that little more enticing.

3.5/5

Methods

Methods are another band I've reviewed before and I liked them then and I like them now. The music they do is quite refreshing, not just in the Israeli music scene but in general. Their music reminds me of bands like Therapy?, Incubus and even Three Days Grace all sort of mashed up together. They use dynamics and sometimes changing time signatures which are interesting but sometimes sound messy. They nevertheless do have some catchy songs, like Sub-dimension, which makes me smile!
 The sound in the venue isn't helping them all too much. It could just be where I am standing but it all sounds pretty scratchy and unclear. The rest of the crowd, as small as it is, are moving a bit but I think might be going through the motions. Methods' sound could be considered a little too mature for some show goers. Sometimes, people just like to switch their minds off when they go out and listen to very angry people play very angry music... angrily. Methods have melody, precision (at least try to) and follow almost pop-standard writing formats. Hence the name, probably. It's methodic and well thought out. Although there are a lot of bands that you can say that about, with Methods, it's somehow more apparent. They've got to get tighter playing-wise, but musically, they have something good going on.

4/5

Knees Please

I've reviewed Knees Please before, both live and on record, I've seen them a bunch of times and even did a show with them and I've tended to really love them. Now, however, I'm not all that into it.
This show in particular consists of all new material that I am just not feeling. Besides Barry The Lizard, which is an interesting groovy number, everything else is just a bit too long and uneventful for me. They're still a heavy band and have great stage presence, but sometimes my head can't deal with 30 minutes of only 5 songs. This is unfortunately one of those times. I may be alone, though, as others are headbanging and "moshing" away and simply liking the heaviness. 

3.5/5

Eternal Struggle

I only recently reviewed their latest EP and am most likely going to do more of a write up of their upcoming EP release show, so I'll keep this short. Eternal Struggle are doing groove based tough guy hardcore and they are doing it pretty damn right. I think it's still lost on most of the crowd here tonight who, again, are just enjoying the intensity of the music. The Sick Of It All cover of Take The Night Off only sees a few people, like myself, actually singing along to it. There is still some movement and audience participation but I am never going to stop finding the fist raising and the "hey" chanting misplaced and generally quite annoying. That's just me. Call me a snob, if you will, but I just think there's a time and a place for it and an Eternal Struggle show isn't it. There should just be bodies running about the place and high kicks and bloody faces. These guys need to get to Europe and they'll get the reaction they deserve.

4.5/5

Ganza

With a new vocalist and new drummer, Ganza are practically a new improved version of the band I saw a while back. Whereas I previously likened them to basically trying to be Alice In Chains/Guns n Roses tribute act, new singer, Max, takes their sound into more Pantera territory. Despite having the same songs, everything just somehow sounds a lot heavier and I am digging it more this time around. Butterflies, especially, comes out sounding great and everything is made even more entertaining with Max spinning his hair around.
By this point in the night, there isn't much of a crowd left, but those who have stayed are running around and some even singing along. Ganza might still be nothing special, but they have improved.

3.5/5

It may not have been the biggest turn out I've ever seen for a show like this, but it was a massive result for the Elifelet charity. Well done to all involved.  


Thank you to Assaf Bergerbest for the photos (where labeled). 

Live Review: DUST/Knees Please/Methods @ Tachles Bar, Tel Aviv [25th February 2016]

Tonight sees me back at Tachles Bar to see 2 of my favourite Tel Aviv bands, Dust and Knees Please, and new band Methods.

Methods

 Methods are a pretty new Tel Aviv trio. Playing songs which flick in between styles, all three members are incredibly competent musicians. Although their first song, entitled "2", has quite a melodic punk feel with vocal harmony and a clean riff, their material in general tends to have a bit of Quicksand meets Prong vibe, which, I guess, essentially could be considered a "Helmet vibe".
 The songs in general tend to be very coherent and easy on the ear. Even the shouting is something your parents won't be too bothered by. Bassist Greg and guitarist Max gel together, both in terms of playing and their vocals. It might not necessarily be super pitch perfect harmonies all the time but they are in sync and give the same amount of energy. Drummer Vladi is one of those more professional drummers I tend to see often at shows like this. Not only is he listening through headphones but his actual technique and use of varying time signatures and drum patterns is impressive and possibly what makes them such an interesting new band. Some of the more dance/drum n bass beats he does gives everything a bit of a Therapy? feel. They seem to have that same sense of experimentation with mixing rock with electronica and are giving each in the right dosage.
 They seem to be in their very early stages, as the fact all their songs are currently numbers proves. This could be their thing a la Karma To Burn and other such bands but either way, it doesn't really matter. 1.1, the only track of theirs currently online, is a good example of what they do, although they definitely show their skills more in other songs. The crowd, both those familiar and unfamiliar with the song, were dancing a bit and nodding their heads. Actually, there was a fair bit of dancing throughout and they got quite a good crowd for an opening act.
  Methods seem to manage to mix the easy listening metal of bands like Helmet and Prong with the more technical musicianship of bands like Deftones and Tool and create something that actually sounds quite fresh.

4.5/5 

Knees Please

 I've written about Knees Please before, and I even got them to play my birthday show. Despite both band names that they have had over the past years, I still stand by the fact that they bring back a familiar sound of the more heavier, sludgy side to early grunge that makes me feel happy. Certainly seems to have the same effect on the crowd here tonight. They could just be drunk and/or stoned, but, hey, that's their people.

 The band play only three songs from their Where's Ma Money? debut and four currently unreleased tracks. I don't think it matters all that much to the crowd as many of them are either here to just jump around like crazy to anything or to just sit and stare at the band's two models. I haven't heard I Came Blood live for a while so it's nice to hear it tonight. It's a weird song lyrically, but has an awesome groove which many here appreciate. New song Barry The Lizard is a personal favourite of mine, being more funky and crazy than the others.
  Guitarist and vocalist Alex and drummer David are on great form as always, with David always managing to cover small mistakes with ease, such as losing a stick, continuing with one hand and quickly grabbing another stick. However, it is new bassist, Ben, not to be confused with the previous bassist also called Ben, who currently steals the show for me every time I see them. Not only is his playing on point, but he is ridiculously enthusiastic, charismatic and also joins in on vocals which shows has really stepped Knees Please up a notch. 

4/5

DUST

  DUST seem to have become my Tel Aviv version of Knuckledust. There used to be a time when Knuckledust were playing in London almost every week and I would go and see them. DUST seem to be constantly doing shows and I'm managing to catch them almost every time. To be honest, seeing and hearing pretty much the same set over and over again can be a tad tedious but it's lucky that they have some tunes that simply really get me pumped.
 From their intros alone, songs like their opening song Slipping Away and Numb get me moving and smiling. It's a little bit complicated to get fully into it tonight as the "floor" is filled, but I manage to get a bit of a boogie on. Everyone else starts push pitting and running about as each song gets going, and frontman Evya does his part to get involved. Newer songs like Plastic and typical set closer Sick and Tired are starting to become more recognisable at shows and I can't wait for them to come out in recorded form.
  The band are still super tight. It's obvious why Ofek was also taken on as the new Kids Insane guitarist; not just because they're friends but the boy has something. Not only can he play but he plays with a certain style and passion. I think he got even better since growing his hair...
  It's hard for me to get totally bored of DUST but this fan is desperate to hear new songs. NEWER songs. I wouldn't even mind a cover here and there. Just switch it up a bit!

5/5



All pics by David "Doh Doh" Rosen