I do believe I'm the lord's favorite one
During their set at Lang Suan Castle, I made mental notes and searched for euphemisms for d-bag, revulsion, and this guy is a right ****. Occasionally, I'd look at my watch to see if there was still time to catch the MRT/BTS trains so I could make the long commute home and begin erasing all memories of this wretched performance. I opted to stay. After the show, I hung in a flock of friends who shared my sentiments that this band was fucking unlistenable. Let's march on the Danish Embassy! Forty-five minutes of a sissy sneering and slurring at you - God's Favorite one? More like God's forsaken son. I'm not so sure. Were the singer auditioning for Pirates of the Carribbean The Musical it might have worked. One might as well proclaim: I am the resurrection. And what was with the shirt half-tucked in and half out? Did your publicist come up with that? It was irritating, but I will suggest band frontmen do that as it's much easier than singing in tune.
But wait! Did I really get home at 2AM and wake a few hours earlier just to hate on them? I have seen the documentaries where fans of the Ramones talk about how bad the band was in the very beginning and despite thinking they were a horrible band the first night seeing them, they showed up the second night. What is it about music that rots you to your core and somehow seduces you in some kind of love/hate death spiral? If you like watching a cocker spaniel leap and stagger then Iceage is a live show for you. While I swear I hate this band I am also fascinated that I can be so ill from one show. Like eating sushi or listening to Morrissey, you either love them or hate them. There can be no middle ground with this band.
The music itself was well-played with the three others Johan Surrballe Wieth (guitar), Jakob Tvilling Pless (bass) and Dan Kjær Nielsen (drums) creating the sonic canvas for little bitchboy to do verbal finger painting for a 45 minute recess . Do they put the singer in a padded crate for transport? You might like this band if you like punk, post punk, country, drunk assholes, schizophrenia, existentialism, Sylvia Plath, nihilism, Nick Cave, Bauhaus, Joy Division, gray skies and manic depression. In all fairness, they are not boring, but I am glad I had a media pass. I mean would you pay to have someone piss in your ears? (By the way if you want someone to piss in your ears, I know someone that can do it for much less than 650 baht - group rates available. PM me.)
The night was not completely lost as there was an outstanding performance by The Sangsom Massacre with Dino of Degaruda on guitar. I missed The Ginkz set. In any case, it was nice catching up with old friends and letting Matt Smith @ Popscene have a good and memorable sendoff.
Hate them at your own risk. Read the lyrics (or not) here.
One hundred Euro wine
I do believe in heaven and I do believe it's time
Yes it's time now
Five inch white high heels
I do believe in heaven and I do believe it's real
And it's okay now
PSPS - There is a philosopher for hire.