Music > Live Reviews

Crobot @ the Waterfront

06/12/15

Crobot were one of several bands that I’d been looking forward to seeing headline their own show since seeing them perform at this year's Download festival. So, imagine my delight when I found out that the Pennsylvanian four-piece would be serving up some filthy groove-ridden rock ‘n’ roll right here in our fine city, and on a Friday night no less.

Support was provided courtesy of Buffalo Summer and Scorpion Child, and whilst both acts matched the low-down, dirty style that was clearly the theme of the evening, and put in very enjoyable performances, neither quite hit the stage with the same physical presence of Crobot. And that’s not a harsh criticism, because there aren’t many bands out there that could. 

Listening to Crobot is only half the story. I’ve got the album, Something Supernatural, and it’s great. It was perfect for the summer, chock full of awesome riffs and catchy lyrics, but I must confess that of late, it’s been replaced at the top of my playlist by more recent releases. On Friday, however, it only took until the first line of album/gig opener Legend of the Spaceborne Killer, to remind me of what it was that had wowed me so much the first time I saw them. 

Frontman Brandon Yeagley, looking and sounding like a cross between Ronnie Van Zant and young, cool Burt Reynolds, adopts an almost fighting stance, wielding the microphone stand like a musical staff of power, as he alternates between pitch perfect singing, and crazy hair swinging, whilst the rest of the band show that you really can do it all – if you’re good enough – by jumping off of amps, swinging guitars around your head, and generally moshing out like a pro, whilst still playing some very tasty tunes so tightly that you couldn’t squeeze a Rizla paper between them. 

They hooked the crowd instantly, and whereas the support acts politely pleaded with the tentative early crowd to move closer to the front, Crobot proved that if you want the audience to move forward, all you’ve got to do is give the people something that they’ll want to take a closer look at. They kept the energy going for the rest of the set without any sign of tiring, and definitely looked and sounded like a band on a mission to bring their music to the masses with as much vigor and style as was (super)naturally possible. Definitely one of the best live acts about at the moment; I’d see them again tomorrow if they were on, and I’d gladly pay to do so.

9/10