LIVE REVIEW: Bokassa @ The Underworld, London
Whether it be COVID or Brexit, the scope of live shows for international acts has forever changed. A crowd of punters looking to blow off some steam flooded into The Underworld for one night of being footloose and fancy free. With jokes regarding current affairs and that one time Jørn Kaarstad bought a guitar that had previously been stolen from him, Norwegian “kings of stoner punk”, BOKASSA certainly made this Friday night one for the books.
Walking on to a sparse and still cool audience, Italian threesome DRAMALOVE opened the evening. With their concoction of theatrical performances and bassy, punk rock energy, we can’t help but notice the influence of MUSE, particularly in new song Pandemonium. Their approach to alt-rock sees infectious groove riffs meld into salacious bass lines, prompting the audience to move into tepidness. It’s here where Diego Soncin dons his theatrical persona, determined to make this band memorable. Utilising as much floor space as possible, there are many opportunities to sink to the floor for a juicy instrumental. After a while however, it becomes predictable, alt-rock by numbers. DRAMALOVE’s decision to cover CHRIS ISSAK’s iconic Wicked Game walks the knife edge. It engages the crowd long enough to sing along, yet it feels like a cheap pop. Moreso when the set ends with a medley of Killing In The Name Of, Enter Sandman, and Iron Man. It was great in the moment, but this opportunity to showcase new, original material, slips by within a classic riff.
Rating: 6/10
Hot off the release of their thunderous debut album, Weight Of The World, FLORENCE BLACK bound onto the stage to a chorus of cheers. This band’s appearance at The Underworld has been widely anticipated. Yet as they bowl onto the stage, there’s no sense of undue pressure or trepidation. From the very first note, these balls are firmly on the wall. Tristan Thomas’ vocals take us back to the days of PANTERA, and infuse some soul as the aggressive Inside Out rings throughout The Underworld. These lads from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales waste no time in making an everlasting impression. Elements of groove metal fill the room and captivate the crowd for the entirety of their set. While there aren’t huge sections of banter with the crowd, this trio has the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.
Thomas and bassist Jordan Evans trade instrumental blows as their instrumentals hit like knock out punches. As the crowd sings along to recent single Sun And Moon, this bluesy yet bouncy number has many asking why FLORENCE BLACK aren’t headlining this venue yet. Where Sun And Moon lifted the spirits of the room with its 80s influence, classic song Smoke plummets the crowd into the heaviness they sought. Massive riffs slither through the gaps in the crowd, carried by Perry Davies’ juggernaut drums. Leaving litres of sweat on stage, and having taken their pound of flesh, FLORENCE BLACK more than lived up to the hype machine that was Weight Of The World, much to the joy of their manager, and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE guitarist, Padge who lurks at the back of the room.
Rating: 9/10
The room now feels fit to burst. Bodies jostle for a good position to settle into, close enough to the stage to be able to connect, but still giving each other a little space. While this ghost of a pandemic still haunts some, for many, this night will surely serve as an exorcism of that particular demon. Alive with excitement over what’s yet to come, chatter electrifies the air. Until the dulcet tones of hip-hop take over the speakers. As seems to be the theme of the night, BOKASSA grace The Underworld with their presence earlier than billed. While no one dare complain, a few people hastily bring their beers to the dance floor.
“I’m a man of class,” Jørn Kaarstad laughs as he lifts a slim can into the air, “This is an M&S piña colada”. To a chorus of emphatic calls of “Skal”, the cocktail of choice is quickly downed and the evening moves into full swing. The self-proclaimed kings of stoner punk obliterate our ears with frantic solos, cheerful chat of annihilation, and drumming which borders on physically impossible to replicate. With a healthy balance of older material, and songs from their recent release, Molatov Rocktail, BOKASSA‘s pent up aggression radiates through riffs of doom. Yet, Kaarstad‘s enthusiasm as he takes on the role of a charismatic game show host a la Challenge TV shows this Norwegian outfit have stakes in more than just musical talent. Bouncing between doom mongering and professing love for Gino DiCampo at the flick of a switch looks oh so effortless and has the crowd captivated.
As we watch warming beer swirl in plastic glasses hurled into the air accompanied by screams of “I’m a god, motherfucker, take a look at me“, it’s hard to not describe BOKASSA‘s set as a show of supreme confidence. Holding the moniker of Lars Ulrich‘s favourite band doesn’t seem to phase this mob one bit. Blitzing through odes of nihilism and corrupt governments, it isn’t hard to see why the METALLICA legend championed them. BOKASSA could have easily rested on the laurels of that massive compliment. The showmanship on display, however, justifies their headlining slot on this tour, and has people still calling for “one more hour!”
Rating: 8/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Anne Pfalzgraf here:
