GIG REVIEW: The Anomalies

the-anomalies-reviewProud Galleries

Thursday 6th November

The Anomalies are an animated assortment of indie slash hip-hoppers from a small town in the Midlands. Founder members Murphy and Sam a.k.a. Mouthmaster Murph and Goldseal decided that in order to hear the kind of music that they liked, they would have to make it themselves. And so they did.

Regularly selling out gigs in their local area, the boys are now broadening their horizons and bringing their own brand of musical tomfoolery to the big smoke. In the heart of Camden, the Proud Galleries provided the ideal back drop for these genre jugglers. The club is basically a jazzed up and glorified set of horse stables; peering over each stable door reveals a different collection of clubbers. The assorted crowd of indie kids, hip-hop heroes and too-cool-for-school Camden-ites with crazy hair and even crazier outfits are right at home in this quirky venue.

When they bound onto the stage, the Anomalies have an immediately infectious energy about them… forcing the crowd put down their pints and prick up their ears. Think thumping guitar rhythms and shouty hip-hop vocals. The band cite their musical inspirations as hip-hop giants Jurassic 5, the mighty Beastie Boys and indie heroes, the Happy Mondays amongst others. These influences are clearly audible as Goldseal crows into the mic, with Mouthmaster Murph interjecting clever lyrics. Joe on drums and Pete on guitar join the organised chaos and DJ Mayhem provides the bassline in the back.

The set continues and, as the crowd are starting to nod their heads, allowing themselves to be won over by the playful abandon with which the boys skilfully mix Daft Punk with heavy guitars, the show takes an unexpected turn. The band turn to the audience to provide them with a range of subjects to inspire the next 15 minutes. The crowd shout out a selection of weird and wonderful topics from Grandmas to underwear, as well as gleefully donating props such as shoes, figurines and on one occasion, a dog, to give them something to rap about. Transforming the audience from passive observers into part of the show is a stroke of genius, and guaranteed to make sure that this band stays right at the top of the ones-to-watch list.

The performance of their new single Kid Riot leaves the hard-to-please audience hungry for more, and the crowd leaves knowing they’ve witnessed the start of something big. Their unique mix of indie, hip hop and dance means that the Anomalies have carved out their own niche. A shot in the arm for all those who have had their fill of carbon copy guitar bands that have dominated the airwaves in recent years. The Anomalies certainly provide value for money with their live shows, and are impossibly cute to boot, so pull on your Converse and catch them while you can.