Live
Cyclefly, the Franco-Irish-Italian alt-rockers, are probably what you'd call a cult band. Hopefully that's about to change, now they're touring second album Crave ahead of their Ozzfest appearance and Alien Ant Farm support slot. Their music's difficult to describe, but when I interview frontman Declan before the show, he's happy enough with the phrase 'alternative rock' and reference to influences such as Placebo, Smashing Pumpkins, Jane's Addiction and Marilyn Manson - they're far from being part of the current 'nu-metal' scene, and when I put it to him that some journalists have described the band as such, he calls it "the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my life".
Not all the crowd are sure what they're here to see, but Cyclefly have generated enough turn-out, through almost constant appearances in Kerrang! and Declan's wild exploits, to make the Zodiac's decision to stage them downstairs look decidedly mistaken. As soon as they launch into 'Drive' the crowd reaction is impressive, even from those who weren't familiar with the band, but better's still to come when they follow up with first single 'Crawl Down'. Predictably enough, the set list features plenty of new songs, with Crave seeming to be a much more accessible and commercial album that its predecessor, 1999's Generation Sap. Declan admits that their songwriting and performance have moved on a lot over the past five years, reflecting the fact that the band are no longer as angry. That said, many of the crowd know the new songs already, and older ones aren't forgotten.
Declan's image may have completely changed (he's now dressed in black, with a mohican replacing his infamous red dreadlocks) but still he whirls around the stage like a madman, climbing the barriers to tower over the crowd or thrusting his face into the throng of reaching arms. The highlight of his performance is undoubtedly swinging from one of the speakers to hang upside down above the crowd from the lighting rig during 'The Hive'. A beefed-up version of acoustic album track 'Accidental Ornaments' surprises most of the crowd, but serves as an introduction to probable next single 'Karma Killer', which, despite its catchy chorus, here seems to lack a little something without the backing vocals of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, himself a big Cyclefly fan and guest on the album.
That aside, Cyclefly are clearly in their element live, and are able to reel out a convincing series of quality songs, all of which go down well whether old ('Better Than You') or new ('Sellophane Fixtures', 'No Stress'). Coming back for a surprise encore, they treat older fans to a favourite, 'Whore', and the energetic mosh-anthem 'Supergod', before finally departing the stage - only for Declan to spend most of the night propping up the bar in the following rock club. One can only hope Cyclefly go on to bigger and better things, which is a shame given how good they are at playing intimate venues, but they deserve success.
After top local metallers Headcount launched their long-awaited debut LP at the Zodiac this week, the anticipation of our usual rabid gig-going has been soured by the fact that yes, Del Amitri still exist, and yes, they're visiting the Zodiac on Thursday 2nd May. God help us all. Even worse, Gordon Haskell descends on the Apollo on Wednesday 3rd to inflict the stagnant saccharinity of 'How Wonderful You Are' on the morons known as the paying public. The much-anticipated Hundred Reasons finally arrive at Brookes on Saturday 4th, having already caused huge disruption, minor corruption and foul abuse in this office by sending us only one copy of their new LP. Your esteemed editor is pleased to inform you that, for once, none of the trouble can be attributed to her. They sound like Medal. Instead, get thee to the Zodiac for quality rap outfit Big Speakers, promising space-rockers Sexy Breakfast and the wonderful Young Knives; think Pere Ubu, Throbbing Gristle and Wire doing songs about rollerskates. Oh yes. Don't say we didn't warn you.
9th May 2002