29/07/25
I was not sure exactly what century I was in as I stared up at the ceiling of Bush Hall. Plaster cherubs gazed down on me, perching next to Corinthian pilasters of the same ilk, but the thing which caught my eyes the most was a huge glittering disco ball, slowly rotating amidst chandeliers with unlit plastic candles. As I listened to an eclectic playlist which seemed to switch genre every song, I was just as out of place as everything else inn that cavernous ballroom. I felt relaxed about the passing of time as I anticipated the evening of music to come.
When support act Gimic – who describe themselves as Bristol’s first and only punk band – took the stage, they were well-rehearsed and tight. We were grateful that they made the trip down, as their frenetic hardcore music awoke the entire crowd, including myself, from disco-ball induced hypnosis. They made a contrast to Deerhoof but shared some similarities, in that their drummer is a joy to watch and was clearly relishing every minute of driving the band forward with his unrelenting beats. Gimic’s front woman also had a brilliant stage presence and unstoppable energy and I only wish I had been able to hear her lyrics better. While the content of some of the songs may have been lost on me, she spoke emphatically and I felt the band really captured the spirit of the genre. They served us undiluted punk music, with not a gimmick in sight.
While some of the crowd may have been begging for seconds, it was high time for the main course – Deerhoof on their 31 Flavours tour. Once dubbed “the best band in the world” by Pitchfork, Deerhoof have become DIY music legends. Their free-spirited approach to touring and self-recording albums is reflected in their wide-ranging music, which uses indie rock instrumentation as a jumping-off point for experimentation and creativity. The band is led by a one of a kind drummer, Greg Saunier. He plays drums almost as if they are a lead instrument, all while supporting the band and remaining economical with the kit pieces he uses. He was positioned at the front of the stage with the rest of the band, who joined him in equally dynamic and expressive playing. I was in awe of how in sync they were with each other naturally, though this may be a product of the band having been together for so long – they were formed 31 years ago and the current lineup has been playing together for 17. Vocalist/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki joined the band a year after Greg, and her dreamy vocals float over the often-angular music.
When she broke a string on her bass, Greg entertained us all with a playful explanation of guitar mechanics – pointing out that she almost never breaks strings, but when she does, she goes all-out, breaking the thickest string on the instrument. His dry sense of humour and great comic timing was as quick-witted as his playing, which was amplified even more by the fact that the rest of the band said absolutely nothing. It was an admirable way of getting through a technical hitch, often a point of stress and conflict for other bands. It seems that everyone in Deerhoof clearly understands and is content with their roles, giving them a dynamic almost as unique as their music. Guitarists Ed Rodriguez and John Dietrich, the former clad in ruffled sleeves and the latter a middle-aged boy next door, sometimes sound as if they are one many-fingered musician playing, while at other times sound as if they’re duelling with each other. There were also moments when Greg took the mic and joined Satomi as a vocalist, harmonising with her on the ‘la la la las’ of gentle folksy ‘Don’t Get Born’, while Ed assumed Greg’s role as a drummer on ‘Overrated Species Anyhow’. Another highlight for me was their rendition of ‘Flower’, a heavily-syncopated song with funk influences. It is a testament to their musical skill that they can make everyone dance to a song in 5/4, a trait I’ve yet to master in my career as a solo artist. Their overall sound, a perfect balance of unadulterated chaos and kittenish whimsy, would have left Molly Mae and Tommy quaking in their boots as Deerhoof showed us the real meaning of ‘Bambi Fury’.
The audience was surprisingly male-dominated given their large female fanbase, and I’d have liked a more energetic crowd, but the hand drawn T shirts on Deerhoof’s march stand were selling like hot cakes and for once I had a shorter queue for the bathroom so I remained content. In conclusion, I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent my mother’s birthday. She’s still alive, but she went off to Norfolk with the dog and didn’t invite me – happy belated birthday mum!
