Electro punk act Chalk return to Glasgow nearing the end of their Tour celebrating the March release of their debut album Crystalpunk.
Dubliners BBFT are the little known support (a few in the crowd were obviously expecting Makeshift Art Bar) there was no need for disappointment though. A 2 piece with drummer and guitar + synth player they bounced between math rock and distorted vocals over soundscapes like Dan Deacon meeting Mogwai. It was far closer to a rave than a punk rock show and that suited the Chalk crowd to the tee.
Chalk opened their show with the same tracks that open the album (“Tongue”, Pain” then “Cant feel it”) to get the crowd moving. While Crystalpunk may technically be the band’s debut album it feels more like the sequel to their trilogy EP Conditions. The intensity from Conditions is still there especially in “Tongue”, but the 80s synth guitar riffs and melodic vocals gives it a more theatrical and maybe camper standalone identity. “Can’t feel it” and “Longer” sound like they have more in common with Fontaines DC and Muse than they do with Underworld who they previously drew a lot of comparisons with. It’s a great live show, guitarist Ben Goddard paces back and forth while lead singer Ross makes you feel like you are witnessing his exorcism as he bounces around with forays into the crowd. The sound in School of Art can be hit or miss and tonight leaves a lot to be desired, Ross’s vocals are low and the wall of sound the band produces feels missing a little something but it doesn’t diminish the show too much, is tonight a mosh pit or a rave? Either way the crowd is having a lot of fun. “Them” and “Afraid” have become crowd (and personal) favourites before they leave the stage for a brief encore.
“We are try this one for the first time on a Thursday night” explains Ross as they launch into “Get Fucked” and sending us off on a dreamy cloud with “Conditions”. Lucky for us they recently confirmed that Crystalpunk being the “only Chalk album to exist” was more of a motivational mantra and not to be taken literally, it feels like Chalk are always going to push the boundaries and it’s exciting to think of what’s coming next.
Words and pictures: Dale Harvey @daleharvey