Considering the Irish public’s current thirst for all things instrumental (coupled with our endless affection for needless swearing) it’s no surprise that Canadian lo-fi improvisational experimental types Holy Fuck have captured the imagination of thousands of hipsters on this island, and tonight the Speakeasy in Belfast is tingling with excitement to see the band perform.
Their set, it turns out, made up (for the most part) of material from their current record Latin proves to be relatively low key. Don’t get me wrong: overall, the show features an almost dizzying array of electro-sounds and the music they create from their arsenal of recycled peddles and other paraphernalia is truly a thing of wonder. And, once the shock of a more subdued live spectacle wears off, the likes of the epic (and pleasingly sleazy) ‘P.I.G.S.’ and the seriously sexy ‘Stay Lit’ certainly push the right buttons.
However, as with many instrumental acts, they only manage to keep the majority of the crowd’s attention for so long before people get their chat on. Needless to say it’s a shame because the likes of ‘Red Light,’ ‘Super Inuit’ and set closer ‘Lovely Allen’ are great tunes, the latter being an especially enjoyable, spacey, string-heavy beast of a track.
Tonight’s Holy Fuck show mightn’t have been the religious experience I was anticipating, but it certainly did make me utter the odd swear word or three. I’ve a feeling the best is yet to come from the group.