Photo thanks to Roy Barber.
I’ve never felt that These New Puritans have been a hugely polarizing band. I’ve always considered them more of an…. assault. Tons of praise has been heaped on their new effort ‘Hidden’ which I absolutely agree with, it’s a fantastic album – but in no way are they pulling a ‘Horrors’. (God, how bad is it that phrase? But it gets what I mean across, no?) Their first album, ‘Beat Pyramid’ was almost criminally overlooked by most but ended up being one of my favorite albums of 2008. In BP they started something great – angular, uncompromising, layered, beautiful, and on Hidden, they flesh these things out with utter, primal dexterity. But the question on my mind (and many other people’s minds, surely) was whether the new material would translate live.
In two words, IT DID! The night started off really strangely with the doors opening at 7pm, and between the hours of 8pm and 9pm, there was no opening band. However, it gave plenty of time to the ample crowd to file in and when 9 o’clock finally hit and These New Puritans started wandering onto stage one-by-one (George first, then Thomas, then the new girl – and can I just say she looked the part, all dark hair and clothes and pale as can be) the crowd applauded gently. When Jack walked on, last and in a pedestrian black long-sleeve (rather than his showstopping Roman Gladiator outfit) the real applause began.
The show was more of a ‘live experience’ although that phrase kind of cheapens the effort that TNPS obviously put into the show. The lighting was fantastic – from the blue flashing lights coinciding with the primal drumming of ‘Three Thousand’, to the strobes flashing with smoke outpouring onto Jack’s weird hand-movements during ‘White Chords’, to the close-to-darkness of ‘Swords of Truth’ – it was the way TNPS were meant to be seen. That is – in a dingy, underground club, packed with fans, watching TNPS weave their weird magic. I think I need to comment on their stage presence, which in terms of charisma might be a bit lacking, but I think their way – statuesque, silent (the only thing Jack said all night was ‘Thanks’) intimidating, indifferent even works to their advantage. It’s all so uncompromising – kind of like their music. They just do what they do, which is what they always have done and it just fucking works for them.
I would hate for my next word to be misconstrued, but These New Puritans are just so consistent. Not in the way that they’ve been good and they’re just staying, well, good, but the fact that they started off doing such amazing things and have reached even greater heights – especially in the live realm – is something that isn’t commented on enough. The songs off ‘Hidden’ were just so epic: ‘We Want War’ was mind-blowingly on par with the recorded version; ‘Fire-Power’, which has always been a mainstay of TNPS sets, was magnified to new levels (I’m not even going to get into how grateful I am to have a good recording of it); but the height of the gig had to be ‘Three Thousand’ which was just so forceful, teeming with power and passion, and just primal. How These New Puritans manage to be so mighty and energetic whilst seeming like they’re exerting practically no energy is amazing and I’ll never know.
Although the gig was like 90% new material, they did play three choice cuts from ‘Beat Pyramid’. ‘Elvis’ is as big of a hit as it ever was – all bass (even if Thomas wasn’t playing an actual bass) and Jack’s paranoid shouting perfection. They also played ‘Swords of Truth’ and ‘Infinity Ytinfinity’ (I called that one!) which were as excellent live as they ever were. A friend told me that he thought These New Puritans were a live band – better than on record; and while I am in utter agreeance that they’re a fucking incredible live band (my other friend was literally shaking due to the awesomeness of the show), I think he’s dead wrong about the record, ‘Hidden’ is certainly going to be one of my albums of the year.
9/10
Can’t catch These New Puritans on their current UK tour? Download this choice version of Elvis from SXSW 2008 (I was present for the recording, for the record) below.
mp3 | These New Puritans – Elvis (live @ SXSW ’08)
Tags: these new puritans
