Music > Live Reviews

Fat White Family

The Adrian Flux Waterfront

15/05/19

This was the first time that Fat White Family had played in Norwich, a source of great frustration to me. Normally they’re the kind of band who would have played Norwich Arts Centre about three years ago, so this visit felt long overdue.

Support for the night were London based indie rockers Sorry. I arrived with a few preconceptions about them, mostly stemming from their uninspiring name. It doesn’t exactly instil confidence that they’re going to take the opportunity by the scruff of the neck and make the absolute most of it, and sadly so it proved. They were far too restrained and polite; the vocals were weak and mumbled, they had zero stage presence and between songs the background chat of the crowd was there for all to hear. They did have some moments certainly, the odd flash of inspiration, and being a very young band, they have time to improve, but by the end of their set I found myself to be completely bored. Sorry.

The first I heard of Fat White Family was the Touch The Leather track, with its brilliantly grim video, but if truth be told nothing I’ve heard since has quite scaled those same heights. Their three studio albums have been satisfying, but not necessarily essential all the way through. Their live reputation on the other hand, has always been stellar, so when they took the stage I was in ultra-receptive mode. I was immediately hooked, When I Leave being the perfect opener; a slinky, sensuous, dirty fat groove that drew everyone in, and held us tight for the entirety of their set. They were really loud, no apologists here, just a fantastic live band, playing with a freedom and confidence that comes from being brilliant at what you do.

There are some obvious influences running through their sound – Nick Cave, Roxy Music and the glam rock edge of T-Rex, but it was more about the atmosphere they created rather than their influences, or even individual songs. I loved how they seemed like a proper crew, like we were all part of some dark cult. They reminded me a little of the vibe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre live experience, a thick musical stew: kaleidoscopic, psychedelic, druggy and shamanic. By the time Touch The Leather arrived, I was completely in the zone, such a downright filthy and sleazy song that made it impossible to do anything other than utterly lose myself in the music. Disappointingly Lias remained fully clothed throughout, but he was a compelling frontman and special mention must go to Alex White for his keys & sax work, giving the sound an extra level of otherworldly. Tastes Good With The Money and I Believe In Something Better were other highlights, but if truth be told they didn’t play a single bad song all night, with final track Bomb Disneyland being almost overwhelming in its intensity.
I’m going to go back to their recorded work with a new-found vigour. Their reputation as a killer live band is completely justified, the kind of act that make you want to follow them on tour. A bunch of freaks and outsiders who make me want to be in their gang. Fat White Family – purveyors of music not just to fuck to, but also music to get fucked up to.