Noise. It's a common thread tonight, starting with LA 4-piece HEALTH, who take to the stage of an already packed Roundhouse to a wild reception. Even with the sound problems that plague all the acts tonight, the band rise above it with the climatic punch of "We Are Water", an amazing, speed fuelled "Glitter Pills" and set closer "USA Boys". They also had time to showcase two new songs, giving a glimpse of what the new record will sound like. Pop, showered with sculptured noise as the crowd go wild and a girl by my side is literally dancing (convulsing?) in her seat.
After a long pause the crowd goes mad as Ethan Kath and Christopher Chartrand appear, then madness turns to hysteria as Alice Glass (literally) crawls onstage. Set opener "Fainting Spells" sets the tone for the night: a bass way heavier than the recordings, punctuated by Ethan's synths and sequences and Alice's screams. She is magnetic and confrontational at the same time and crowdsurfs for half of the gig- going as far as walking on the crowd brandishing a whisky bottle. Unfortunately "Doe Deer" gets badly affected by the problems with the sound, as does "Untrust Us". Nevertheless, the remix of HEALTH's "Crimewave", "Alice Practice" and current single "Baptism" still shine and are real treats. The highlight, however, is "Celestica", when Alice's effects-laden voice turns from screams to melody, backed up by powerful beats, courtesy of Ethan. It's epic and ends with rapturous applause. Everyone is dancing. Noise is going Pop. And I like the sound of that.
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