The Plainviews
Start The Bus, Bristol
Thursday 25th February 2016
Tonight feels like a proper home-grown occasion. Despite
having its prestigious precedent set since its conception in 2008 by shows from
the likes of Flying Lotus and Little Dragon, the modestly-sized bar and diner
Start The Bus’ real tangent lies as a key player in the hubbub of Bristol’s
music community. Its organic sound-system and down to Earth aesthetic make it
the perfect for a band like The Plainviews to sink their teeth into; a band
who visually live their ethos as well as any band I’ve seen. Comprising of
members of fellow local upstarts Idles (who seem to be making a favourable
amount of headway) and the St Pierre Snake Invasion, tonight’s occasion is one
that feels like a poster-child for a city in full-support of its creative
output.
Speak to any of the band’s three members and their approach
to both song-writing and passion is refreshingly laissez-faire. A proposed
release via chaotic fun and easiness that they may not get elsewhere, it’s the
natural aspect of The Plainviews as both performers and people that makes them
a distinguishable package, and maybe to be taken more seriously than their
effortlessly warm and human tones would suggest. When they perform their
raucous premiere track ‘Charlie Delta’ this evening, all the Future Of The
Left-esque wit and artfulness is there in abundance, but it’s the sense of un-contrived
nonchalance and punk-rock freedom that balances it out that helps it feel so
fully formed.
Tonight, whether it’s the almost cathartic propulsion of the
rhythm section or frontman Damian’s hoarse forays into back-of-the-throat
screaming, everything feels as effortlessly fun as the band claim making the
music was. Perhaps even more prominently, the band’s everyman identity shoots
straight back to certain aspects of the glorious resurfacing from the dark days
of Glam Metal in the early ‘90s. With all the ‘90s nostalgia in full flow at
the turn of 2016, it feels vindictive that The Plainviews are capturing that
explosive essence while being progressive.
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