Live Review: Boris, Dead China Doll

24 June 2013 | 9:27 pm | Andrew McDonald

Boris are one of the most exciting live acts around and we are lucky to have them.

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As hyperbolic as it may sound, Dead China Doll may be the most wonderful band in Sydney right now. Their brand of vocal post-rock is anchored by truly chaotic drumming and wild, Slint-reminiscent noise. Not just a suitable opener for the night's main act, Dead China Doll showed that they were a damn terrific band and gave a memorable and energetic performance. They truly need to be marked on any Sydney alternative music fan's radar. A follow-up record their 2008 debut is sorely needed.

Walking onto an immediately foggy, pink and purple stage, Boris assumed their positions. The language barrier, or perhaps it's just their style, meant no nonsense from the noise/drone/doom trio, who wasted no time showing off their power. The volume is the first thing that hits; crunchy and pedal-effected guitars strum out ridiculously loud, low-end chords in front of crashing waves of cymbal flourishes, only interrupted by vocalist Wata to shred dirty, sexual solos as emphasis. Even more straightforward songs, like classics, Statement and Pink, retain their ballsy swagger live, even behind layers of droning static.

The evening's highlight, suitably for the tour, was the full play-through of the group's landmark 2000 album, Flood. Somehow, the band have managed to arguably improve on the recorded version of that droning, psychedelic masterwork, which now features longer wall-of-noise passages and a more commanding presence of sustained minimalist music. With prolonged sections dedicated to feedback and fuzz, and others to no-crescendo build-ups, the 50 minute piece is anything but “easy listening”, but to people willing to give it a chance it was a masterpiece.

And that is Boris in full; they are not for everyone and they never will be, even alienating their metal and noise fan bases with incongruous pop releases and ambient albums, but that is exactly why they are such an exciting act. The playful interaction during songs and seemingly aimless drone segments beguiles just how hard-working this trio is and how effective they are at pushing the boundaries of modern sonics. Boris are one of the most exciting live acts around and we are lucky to have them.

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