The air is thick with testosterone as every long-haired white male in the greater Brighton vicinity meets in the dark, sweaty belly of Brighton’s Concorde 2 tonight. Pints are spilled and voices are loud as they gather in anticipation for unique Australian rock band, the interestingly named Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
Eclectic six-piece, Home Counties, open the show and bring with them wavy synth, scratchy guitar and rapid vocals. Tracks such as ‘Back to The 70s’ were discordant but catchy, the Blur-like spoken word verses clashing satisfyingly with the warbling chorus and sci-fi inspired melodies, creating a hectic yet infectious atmosphere.
As the music quietens and the lights dim, there’s a strong feeling of apprehension as hundreds of bodies shuffle forwards and a tall, curly haired bloke behind me screams “let’s fucking go” over and over into the darkness. But despite the intense atmosphere of the predominantly male dominated space, once the music begins, the crowd feels safe – the mosh pit confined to the front third of the venue and attempts to reach it approaches with gratitude.
Opening with fast-paced, riff-led Tally-Ho, a sea of head-banging ripples towards the stage, every inch of the crowd twisting and rocking as the beat weaves between sharp, rapid strums and longer, pulled out vocals. Lava Lamp Pisco provides short, slow relief from the madness with mellowed lyrics and long instrumentals, the tangy, bitter guitar patterns looping and dancing, pulsating through the metal beams of the room and pushing up through your feet. The energy from the band is infectious – a line which sounds completely cliché but in this scenario is no less than one hundred percent true.
The bizarre mix of rhythms and sharp vocals of tracks such as ‘Bill’s Mandolin’ keep the crowd constantly on their toes, and mosh pits the width of the venue open up at regular intervals as the energy in the room builds up and up and reached crescendo as bodies bounce chaotically off one another.
Despite my initial reservations, this Psychedelic Porn Crumpets gig is easily one of the best I’ve attended in the past few years. The energy of the band and the enthusiasm of the crowd makes the night so exciting and uplifting, and shows that although a crowd may initially feel intimidating, you should never judge a gig by how much beer is spilled before the headline act.
