James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
Judging by the outfits of the crowd, this was not an understated affair. To translate into York terms; think Ziggy’s sports social does ‘Nu Rave’. Not that Pendulum is ‘Nu Rave’, but any qualms about genre go out the window when you have the opportunity to wear glo-paint and flouro-knickers (with little else). We’ll leave the drum ‘n’ bass technicalities to the music geeks.
As for meeting Pendulum in interview with that much hype and anticipation, I was bound to be disappointed (this was the real-life equivalent of that hottie on facebook who turns out to be just as lacklustre as any standard Camus-reading student). It is an unavoidable modern day myth that ‘people in bands’ have some sort of debauched uber-existence, next to which your ‘mental night out in Toffs’ somewhat pales in comparison. The Australian pair were inoffensive enough, confirming that my high expectations belonged only to the realm of fantasy.
There was something incredibly satisfying about hearing Pendulum in the environment to which it was intended, rather than Fibbers with their endearing attempt at ‘rave’ lighting.
What the band lost through meeting them in person was partially salvaged by their live performance. When they reached the stage the atmosphere of the crowd was contagious, and there was as much of a buzz outside in the smoking area as there was by the stage. They opened the gig with ‘Slam’, laudably not being self-indulgent in using obscure new material, but giving the eager crowd what they wanted. There was something incredibly satisfying about hearing Pendulum in the environment to which it was intended, rather than Fibbers with their endearing attempt at ‘rave’ lighting.
During our interview Pendulum mentioned that they wanted their music to be an escape from the everyday, but in the end perhaps relied too heavily on the pilled-up audience for this to fully be achieved. There certainly was never a queue for the bar. Pendulum seem wary of becoming too synonymous with the ‘fabric’ drug culture, and promise new and exciting things for their next album, feeling they would be "selling out if they did more songs like Slam." This is refreshing at a time in which bands are encouraged to stick to what they know to be successfully marketable, rather than developing their sound. Thankfully politics also seems to be out; the boys feel satisfied with the ‘opinions they have in real life’, and say that they don’t feel the need to flaunt them in their music. Considering their inability to geographically place York (is it near Devon? is one of the best replies to a question in any interview ever), that’s probably for the best.
You can hear the full Yorker interview with Pendulum in thie week's Artscast, over here.
Only just noticed this article, there certainly were quite a few chavvy types there who obviously hadn't heard about what the live band were like compared with the DnB fare they'd have heard and were disappointed. I perhaps wasn't in the best position either to enjoy the gig, since I was severly hung over from my birthday the night before and getting crushed by naked flesh whilst sober was strangely unfamiliar heh.
For me, the unexpected bonus of Hype supporting more than made up for any lacklustre performance by Pendulum.
I think the most impressive part of the whole experience was that the crowd was just as packed and excited 20 rows back as they were on the front row...
We also did an interview with Pendulum on the podcast that was released on Monday 19th November 2007 which can be downloaded from iTunes by typing "Yorker Artscast" into the iTunes store search bar. You thought their performance was lacklustre... wait until you hear their interview technique 
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