Just a few days prior to the release of their fifth album Too Cold To Hold, Alice Beard caught Warmduscher for a hot and hectic night at Rock City…
Rolling up to the Rock City stage on Wednesday, I was ready to see what party punks Warmduscher had to offer. The venue was markedly quieter than usual, which I admit felt a strange sight to be confronted by considering the bands hefty career so far. In spite of this, there seemed no better way to kick off the evening than arriving just in time for Wu-Lu’s support slot. Brixton producer Miles Romans- Hopcraft blends punky/ lo-fi/ hip-hop elements with covetable ease in this project. Here was an artist I’d been wanting to catch for a while at this point, so I’m glad to say I did not find myself disappointed. From the outset Wu-Lu manned the stage with command and conviction as he and the band dipped between tracks from 2022 LP LOGGERHEAD and his most recent EP Learning to Swim on Empty. Considering this was just the starter, I felt more than satisfied with the size of the feast on offer here. Walking a fine line with graceful expertise, the more subdued tracks such as Sinner and Blunted Strings held up just as well against the likes of fiercer offerings Ten and Scrambled Tricks. With the set rolling on, the tumult continued, tracks such as Blame and Times continually proving the flawless dynamic expression and overall presence in the performance of the entire band. It was a shame to see them go, left only with the itching desire to see them again in a more intimate setting. I can only hope the wait won’t be long.
Building up the anticipation, the room slowly began to fill as the wait for the main event began to close. Standing in the shadows of the oddly spacey room, the dirty, reckless and dark nature of the music we were about to have bestowed upon us finally set in. It wasn’t long before the band strode onstage and put our restless minds at ease. Armed with thick black shades, a cowboy hat and ample swagger, Warmduscher were ready for business from the get-go. Kicking off this ‘fifth chapter’ with some short-lived sweet and tender light was the woozy Pure At The Heart. This might have kept the crowd on their best behaviour for a few minutes, but that peace was swiftly broken as the band hopped from Standing on the Corner to full-force heavy-hitter Midnight Dipper. Three songs in and the crowd was hooked. Warmduscher really do know how to please.
I must admit I went into this gig finding it slightly strange that the band had already been hurtling through this run of shows prior to the release of the new album, though thankfully it worked well in their favour as I walked out more eager than ever to get my hands on Too Cold To Hold for the first time. Things couldn’t have turned out better in fact, as their healthy exploration throughout their entire discography left no stone unturned. Bouncing through the likes of Wild Flowers and the even filthier Hot Shot brought a cantankerous edge to their trademark funky grooves. Balancing such tracks with the likes of the lighter, fluffier Fashion Week left the crowd unsure where to turn next. One minute we were being treated to some saccharine twinkly tones from across the keys of the synth, the next we were flung sideways in a tumultuous bass climax. The energy seemed limitless.
Tainted Lunch, Burner and Disco Peanuts off their 2019 Tainted Lunch LP all made their respective appearances within the set, much to the pleasure of the adoring crowd. Maintaining the electricity throughout the act was painlessly simple with such naughty tracks to behold, not to mention the fact the band also happen to have a frontman with a penchant for chaos. Clams Baker aka Mutado Pintado aka Craig Louis Higgins Jr is truly a force to be reckoned with.
1000 Whispers momentarily toned down the pace, though still maintaining comfortable levels of grime through its slow dance with sleaze. Onwards the band soon continued, unafraid and unashamed to tease all things to come. Their (at that point) unreleased Out of Body led some strained guitar lines into a losing battle with a charge of unforgiving percussive grooves. The clamour only continued with the rolling out of Cleopatras and Top Shelf- two rousing pieces to further edge the furore into uncontainable territories. The set felt a whirl by this point, the incessant swirling of groove and grit rising to dizzying euphoria- I was almost taken aback by the realisation that the show was drawing to its conclusion. To everyone's relief though, Warmduscher know exactly how to end things on a sweet note. Leading a floor stomping romp into the exuberant I Got Friends, there wasn’t one still body left in the room. With a frenzy of deep- slung bass, jagged rhythms and some howling vocal surges to cut through the density, this track became the anthem for the many. That is one way to leave a crowd breathless.
Warmduscher’s set was filled from start to finish with all the very best of their back-catalogue. Whether it was the thumping funk-driven riffs reverberating from wall to wall or Clams Baker’s irresistible power of command, I don’t think I stopped shifting on my feet for the entirety of the set. In fact, it felt as if the whole room was twitching for more. Even after a decade the band still have something infectious and raw in their energy. It’s music you want to dance to.
Listen to Too Cold To Hold here
Alice Beard
Edited by Alice Beard
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