artrocker festival: night four

“You don’t have to shout to get your point across” the singer informs us, and at times their aural assault tactics are replaced by more quiet and stormy methods, although they rarely finish a track in hushed tones.

JOHNNY FOREIGNER have built up a reputation for producing a noisy, feedback-heavy art rock with their debut mini-album ‘Arcs Across The City’ from late last year. And for many London-based fans, this is the first opportunity to see the three piece. They open with an onslaught of controlled aggression from Junior’s drums, before the guitar and bass come roaring in.’The End and Everything After’ follows, a rousing early highlight which reveals a pop sensibility cloaked behind the jarring guitars. Played at light speed, this gem is over almost before it begins, leaving the refrain “God knows what you think of us” echoing in the audience’s ears. The atmosphere is soured somewhat when Alexei turns on the crowd and describes London as a “cultural vacuum” - a piece of pre-determined petulance -which is luckily quickly forgotten as it’s followed up in style with ’Champagne Girls I Have Known’. This track features a thrilling bout of vocal sparring between the charismatic voices of Alexei and Kelly. It leads into the finale of the gig excellently. Maybe London crowds are notoriously hard to please but the burden of blame must be at least partly bestowed on Artrocker for spoiling the faithful at these festival gigs by supplying such a new wealth of talent every night. EXPLORE THE ARTROCKER FESTIVAL 2008! FOLLOW THESE LINKS: NIGHT ONE NIGHT TWO NIGHT FIVE