Music > Live Reviews

Acid Mothers Temple

The Adrian Flux Waterfront

17/10/17

There are a handful of bands who I will go and see every time they visit Norwich, which, luckily for us, in the case of Acid Mothers Temple is an annual occasion. Before we got to the main event though we had a couple of local acts supporting, both of whom I’d never seen before. Firstly Organisms, featuring a couple of former members of the Grazing Saints. I thought they were OK, but they had the worst sound mix of the night which really affected the dynamic of their sound. I could see what they were trying to do – Joe’s vocals have an impressively grizzled edge, and the female backing vocals and keyboards would undoubtedly add to their sonic palette, but unfortunately I couldn’t really hear either. I don’t really feel I can fully judge them on this appearance, so I look forward to another opportunity to see them live.

Guaranfoe followed and on the whole impressed. They are clearly fans of Zappa, an excellent thing in my book, but also reminded me of King Crimson and there was even a touch of the Allman Brothers in the brightness of the guitar tone. Instrumental and busy, but only occasionally self-indulgent, they went down well with the majority of the crowd (a few people who consider themselves to be ‘punk’ weren’t convinced) and it definitely felt like they’d made the most of this opportunity.

Trying to describe the Acid Mothers Temple live experience using mere words seems almost an insult to them. Like trying to describe the majesty of a sunrise. I feel like I should be sculpting about them, or expressing my joy in a series of abstract shapes. Their first ‘song’ lasted for 25 minutes. From the gentlest ambience to the fiercest, most incendiary total sensory overload you can imagine the sound was monolithic – each instrument heard with total clarity within the cosmic jams. Each member of the band a master of their chosen instrument – the bass as key to the sound as the guitar or synths. The drumming is of a standard you rarely see – Herculean in its endeavour. This is the third time I’ve been blessed by their company and they are without any shadow of a doubt one of the best live bands I have ever seen. So good to see a big crowd packing the Studio too, all fully into it, forgetting for an hour or so that it was actually only Monday.

I could go on, but there’s no point. This was the band’s fourth Norwich show in as many years, which means I fully expect them to be back in twelve months’ time. You owe it to yourself to go see them – I took a newb along with me last night, he e-mailed me this morning saying “I feel like I’m in some sort of mind enhancing bubble, looking at the world through a window”. I couldn’t have put it better myself.