THE BLACK ANGELS
London Scala
September 19 2011
Success like this for underground music must breed a wonderful confidence. The Texan psychedelicists have quadrupled their London audience in a year from whenst I last reported. And all that touring, whilst it may have just dented their edge (I definitely saw signs of
fatigue on stage this evening), has certainly made them heroes of sorts. The cerebral, religious atmosphere – the place was in near silence before and during the show – meant no distractions and the music could transport. Their krautrock rhythms came to life in this
old cinema, whereas they frustratingly remain hidden in layers of reverbed guitar on record.
Playing assortments from all three studio albums, plus a couple of recent B-sides, the band pleased everyone. They are the sludgy Doors, the hypnotic Elevators, the battle-worn
Spacemen, the backwater Velvets... and yet they are still all their own. Many have tried with these influences and most have never outgrown them. Tonight I think TBA showed they have. Finishing with their most ferocious number 'Telephone' Alex Maas states "It took us a
while to warm to you London, but we love you now" – and the feeling on this evidence is mutual.
Phil Istine
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