The Robocop Kraus / The Chap / Shit Disco @ The Buffalo Bar, London 18 Oct 2005

Another excellent Artrocker night rolls around and for once the line-up doesn’t feature a band that makes me snigger. Tonight in the cosy and crowded Buffalo Bar there wasn’t a bizarre trash metal, snakeskin wearing buffoon or snazzily dressed pop ensemble in sight. This was all about the music man.

First up are Glasgow’s four-piece Shit Disco, whose moniker immediately raised the question, will a band with a swear word in their name ever make it big? Whatever about their musical ability it’s hard not to feel that their road to success will forever be blocked by prudence and marketing difficulties. Of course slight alterations may come into play so Spit Disco or Ship Disco (perhaps suggesting a lucrative career on cruise ships?) could be viable alternatives should the major record labels ever come a-calling. But what is the likelihood of this ever happening? Fair to middling, I’d say. Shit Disco struggle to distinguish themselves from many other bands around, plying that familiar mix of Jam and Gang of Four influences. Rapid, rollicking bass lines feature in almost every track, though one song in the middle of the set did stand out with an excellent “woo-woo” vocal line.

Next up is The Robocop Kraus, Germany’s answer to Talking Heads or Franz Ferdinand, depending on your age. Actually they are more like an electro Maximo Park with faint Teutonic tinges rather than a vast northeast burr. Having released their fourth album ‘They Think They Are the Robocop Kraus’, the band are finally gaining some recognition in the UK, thanks no doubt to the current new wave revival. But the five-piece outfit have been around long enough to ward off charges of latching onto trends. And despite the comparisons that can be made, they have forged a distinctive sound based on strong melodies, anthemic choruses and slightly off-kilter rhythms.

These qualities translate well in the live arena, even if the Artrocker crowd are too cool to indulge in any form of dancing that extends beyond shuffling feet. Lead singer Thomas Lang compensates with a high-energy performance, bleating out the chorus of ‘Fake Boys’ and bustling his way through the audience during the brilliant ‘You Don’t Have to Shout’. Further presence is provided by the stout form of bassist Tobias Helmlinger, who forms a rocking rhythm section with drummer Hans Christian Fuss, while inventive licks and thrills come from the excellent guitar work of Matthias Wendl and Markus Streckert on keys. The latter’s organ work adds a touch of a less-stoned Inspiral Carpets to their sound, especially on tonight’s closing song, ‘There Are Better Lights in Hollywood’. Thankfully the crowd is not too contemplative to applaud at the end and due appreciation is shown for an excellent set.

Finally come The Chap, a rather splendid bunch of noise-merchants with a mischievous sense of humour. Their website claims the band “have never been influenced by anyone or anything at any time, ever”, and they introduce songs as being “from their 11th album”. The truth is there is more than a hint of the New York sound of LCD Soundsystem or !!! in their blend of rock and house beats, and I count only two albums. But in a way this sums up The Chap, who music can go from dreamy, Moog-filled melodies to discordant and dynamic noise in an instant. Their lyrics are curt, sarcastic narratives, repeated and dragged out to fill their already short songs. At the end of their set the crowd bay for their return, and happily they don’t bother. Here at Eyeballkid we like bands who do things their own way, and The Chap certainly refuse to fit the mould.

words: Colm Larkin

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