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spooky_miss) wrote2010-05-02 05:14 pm
spooky_miss) wrote2010-05-02 05:14 pm
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Gotham 11 - 10th April 2010
This is quite a while ago, but I thought I'd write a bit about the Gotham 11 festival held at Islington Academy on 10th April.
I'd never been to it before, despite there being some good bands playing in previous years, but I think I'll go again, there was a good mix of bands, although it wasn't as goth as I was expecting. At first I was a bit annoyed as I wanted to see Legion, who were on first, then wasn't really bothered about anything until Clan of Xymox, but I'm glad I saw them all now, they were mostly good.
Legion
This was the first time I'd seen Legion, although I'd got their cd and it was really excellent, they seem to play up north more than London, as they come from Leeds (so thats understandable!). I love their style of goth, so although I think you could tell that they were a relatively new band (a couple of the band members didn't look totally comfortable on stage yet, in my opinion), they were still great. Maisey has a great voice (and great hair, haha). I'd give them 9 / 10 I think, and I definately think they'll improve with time, so maybe next time it'll be a 10! :)
Until I Wake
This was a bit of a weird choice I thought, as they were basically metal, but the lead singer had an amazing voice, he sounded a lot like the guy from Muse I thought. The rest of the band wasn't that impressive though, just "normal" metal really. I'd expect them to be at more metal things really than goth. 4 / 10
Greenhaus
This was an electronic-y female fronted band. I think possibly similar to Ladytron, from what I've heard of them. They were ok, although a bit poppy for me in places. 6 / 10
Alter Red
I was pleasantly surprised by this band. When they came on, there were two people at the side of the stage who didn't have instruments or anything, so I was thinking oh no is it going to be some kind of "show", which usually means less than great music. However, they weren't like that at all really, the people just stood at the side of the stage, one pretended to be mad and one just stood there. I thought the music was a mix of Marilyn Manson, Placebo, with a bit of dancy put in there as well. I really liked it, the singers voice was excellent. I'd say get rid of the two who don't do anything though - they're just a gimmick which they don't need as the music is so good already. 8 / 10
Rhombus
Rhombus were a late addition as another band pulled out, and I'm so glad I saw them as they are excellent! This is another band which I hadn't had the chance to see before, as they seem to play up north quite a lot too. This was definately "proper" (trad) goth, slightly similar to Fields of the Nephilim at times. It was great :) Only one thing was that they have a female vocalist, which this time wasn't the usual one as she couldn't be there or something, but I felt it didnt really add anything to the music. But then maybe its different on the cd. And that reminds me, I really should get a cd of theirs :) Will definately try and catch them when they play London again. 9 / 10
Layhanna
I didn't like this band, to put it bluntly. It was basically female fronted metal in the style of the more electronic-y bits of Paradise Lost's songs. They would be excellent supporting Paradise Lost, or Lacuna Coil or something like that actually. The crowd seemed to really like them here, but I wouldn't want to see them again. 5 / 10
The Eden House
This band wasn't what I thought they were at all. I thought they were goth in the style of Rhombus (and other trad goth bands), but they're nothing like that really. They have two female vocalists, who both have excellent voices, and theres also someone playing a violin in the band, which makes it interesting. I definately think they can be compared to some of Anathema's songs they have with the female vocalist. I wouldn't mind seeing them again, but I think it'd be more that if they were at a gig I'd be pleased, instead of specifically going to see them. 8 / 10
Clan of Xymox
They were the headlining band ,and again they weren't quite what I was expecting. They were a bit more dancy than things I have heard of them before, with more of a beat, but it was good. They were younger than I expected as well, haha. It was a mixture of 80s goth-y vocals with a dancy beat in it as well. And Rob really enjoyed them as well, as they were the band which he came to see, which is great :) 8 / 10
Overall, it was a really good day...and then we went to Slimelight, which was just brilliant! :) I wasn't sure at first whether Rob would like to stay out all night, but he did, and seemed to really enjoy it, so that was great. The goth floor was excellent as normal, and because the gig gave free entry to Slimelight after there was a good amount of people there. There were also a couple of bands on - Zeitgeist Zero and Ghost of Lemora. Zeitgeist Zero were ok, but a bit too, well I'm not sure what the genre is, but its something I don't like! Ghost of Lemora I've seen before and didn't like, so just caught the end of them and their drunken singer staggering around the stage!
All in all, an excellent day and night :)
I'd never been to it before, despite there being some good bands playing in previous years, but I think I'll go again, there was a good mix of bands, although it wasn't as goth as I was expecting. At first I was a bit annoyed as I wanted to see Legion, who were on first, then wasn't really bothered about anything until Clan of Xymox, but I'm glad I saw them all now, they were mostly good.
Legion
This was the first time I'd seen Legion, although I'd got their cd and it was really excellent, they seem to play up north more than London, as they come from Leeds (so thats understandable!). I love their style of goth, so although I think you could tell that they were a relatively new band (a couple of the band members didn't look totally comfortable on stage yet, in my opinion), they were still great. Maisey has a great voice (and great hair, haha). I'd give them 9 / 10 I think, and I definately think they'll improve with time, so maybe next time it'll be a 10! :)
Until I Wake
This was a bit of a weird choice I thought, as they were basically metal, but the lead singer had an amazing voice, he sounded a lot like the guy from Muse I thought. The rest of the band wasn't that impressive though, just "normal" metal really. I'd expect them to be at more metal things really than goth. 4 / 10
Greenhaus
This was an electronic-y female fronted band. I think possibly similar to Ladytron, from what I've heard of them. They were ok, although a bit poppy for me in places. 6 / 10
Alter Red
I was pleasantly surprised by this band. When they came on, there were two people at the side of the stage who didn't have instruments or anything, so I was thinking oh no is it going to be some kind of "show", which usually means less than great music. However, they weren't like that at all really, the people just stood at the side of the stage, one pretended to be mad and one just stood there. I thought the music was a mix of Marilyn Manson, Placebo, with a bit of dancy put in there as well. I really liked it, the singers voice was excellent. I'd say get rid of the two who don't do anything though - they're just a gimmick which they don't need as the music is so good already. 8 / 10
Rhombus
Rhombus were a late addition as another band pulled out, and I'm so glad I saw them as they are excellent! This is another band which I hadn't had the chance to see before, as they seem to play up north quite a lot too. This was definately "proper" (trad) goth, slightly similar to Fields of the Nephilim at times. It was great :) Only one thing was that they have a female vocalist, which this time wasn't the usual one as she couldn't be there or something, but I felt it didnt really add anything to the music. But then maybe its different on the cd. And that reminds me, I really should get a cd of theirs :) Will definately try and catch them when they play London again. 9 / 10
Layhanna
I didn't like this band, to put it bluntly. It was basically female fronted metal in the style of the more electronic-y bits of Paradise Lost's songs. They would be excellent supporting Paradise Lost, or Lacuna Coil or something like that actually. The crowd seemed to really like them here, but I wouldn't want to see them again. 5 / 10
The Eden House
This band wasn't what I thought they were at all. I thought they were goth in the style of Rhombus (and other trad goth bands), but they're nothing like that really. They have two female vocalists, who both have excellent voices, and theres also someone playing a violin in the band, which makes it interesting. I definately think they can be compared to some of Anathema's songs they have with the female vocalist. I wouldn't mind seeing them again, but I think it'd be more that if they were at a gig I'd be pleased, instead of specifically going to see them. 8 / 10
Clan of Xymox
They were the headlining band ,and again they weren't quite what I was expecting. They were a bit more dancy than things I have heard of them before, with more of a beat, but it was good. They were younger than I expected as well, haha. It was a mixture of 80s goth-y vocals with a dancy beat in it as well. And Rob really enjoyed them as well, as they were the band which he came to see, which is great :) 8 / 10
Overall, it was a really good day...and then we went to Slimelight, which was just brilliant! :) I wasn't sure at first whether Rob would like to stay out all night, but he did, and seemed to really enjoy it, so that was great. The goth floor was excellent as normal, and because the gig gave free entry to Slimelight after there was a good amount of people there. There were also a couple of bands on - Zeitgeist Zero and Ghost of Lemora. Zeitgeist Zero were ok, but a bit too, well I'm not sure what the genre is, but its something I don't like! Ghost of Lemora I've seen before and didn't like, so just caught the end of them and their drunken singer staggering around the stage!
All in all, an excellent day and night :)