Chrome Hoof, Zun Zun Egui & Health provide a fantastic night of rock and roll for Ether

The Elizabeth Hall is a short hop next door to the Royal Festival Hall and on this balmy Thursday evening, Ether festival 2010 sees cheerful indie rockers Zun Zun Egui play alongside 25th Century metal knights Chrome Hoof and Amero-rockers Health in a wild and loud takeover over the South Bank, with Andrew Weatherall providing support DJ sets.

One thing is for sure, the Elizabeth hall is a great venue, with plenty of space for bands to play inside and outside in the waiting area, which also had a makeshift stage and sounds system amongst comfy chairs. It is here where Andrew Weatherall had set up shop. To be honest, I didn't get a lot of chance to listen to his DJ sets apart from in between the headline acts playing in the theatre hall for a refreshment breaks, although the crowds seemed to like his mix of indie and rock and he was only too happy to chat to people and swap track recommendations.

Four-person band Zun Zun Egui kicked off proceedings, flanked by a great psychedelic display and excellent light show. I wasn't sure if the lyrics were in English or some other language, as they were drowned out by the playing, but to be honest, I didn't care too much. As an opening act, bands often have a problem warming up the audience and in this regard they played a tight set and got a great reaction from the crowd. The best description of their 30 minute outing would be as an energetic Cansei De Ser Sexy clone, full of great keyboard and guitar playing to create catchy tracks and definitely a band to watch to see more from.

After a short interval involving a shuffle to the bar and back and we returned to our seats for the somber, eerie gothic opening to Chrome Hoof, as ominous, robed players were ushered on stage by an 8-strong choir section. If fashion sense is anything to go by, these guys have really made black and silver their own, with 80s metal lightning stabs and daubed facepaint everywhere. In total, Chrome Hoof are a big band, totally some 20 members, including two guitars, a huge bass player, two drums (rhythm and sound effects), saxophones, an oboe, trumpets, electric violin, keyboards and even a full-sized harp(!).

Musically, "The Hoof" are a collection indie, rock and metal, defined by several changes in tempo during each of their tracks that gives the melodies and edgy flair. Their sound is quite unique given the range of instruments they use, but comparisons can be made with other bands. I suggested jokingly that the best description would be a mix of Metallica vs The Zutons vs Nine Inch Nails, with KISS doing the wardrobe department but this doesn’t cover the half of it. Case in point: one moment, there are driving guitars, a dirty great big slap-bass and screaming vocals, the next there’s a quieter, more atmospheric track calling on the choir, harp, oboe and sound effect drum kit that is reminiscent of a horror film, followed by another riotous track with trumpets and saxophones paired with the violinist playing a tricky solo. And then of course you’ve got the front woman, the bewitching harpy who writhes and dances across the stage, addressing the audience with her tempting vocal performance and amazonian-costume, finishing off the whole ensemble.

Needless to say, these guys are very impressive to see all assembled and a credit to them for being able to combine all the elements together to play a live set, providing as much of a feast for the eyes as the ears.

A short interlude of beer was followed by Health in the more intimate lobby, which can only be described as a wave of guitars and synthesizers playing music that sounded like chainsaw s revving up to a cacophony of drumming and shouty vocals. For the guys in the audience who had had a chance to get warmed up in the comfortable seats in the theatre, this gave them ample chance to start bopping and pogo-ing around and Health were all too happy to oblige, playing up to the crowd and inviting people to dance on stage. An energetic ending to the night that, which wasn't to everyone's liking, still providing a great slice of noisy entertainment and a fantastic night of rock and roll for Ether 2010.

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