Psychobilly Garden Party: May 2013

The Gravedigger V (US) & The Better Men Than You. The Garage, Bergen. Norway.

(25/5/2013)

Last night was one of those evenings that could have gone either way for me. Don't misunderstand me. The Better Men Than You, local Bergen band with frontman Espen Egeland from the Tranceplants always put on a killer, perfect show and a quick perusal of the inter-cob-webs reveals some interesting live shows for the GraveDigger V on the YouTubes. I remember some tracks from their incarnation back in the day but haven't heard anything much since. Of course the sound is typical YouTube quality – sounding like somebody had recorded it with the microphone inserted into a screeching cat. However, it bodes well. It is just that I am not feeling it. You know – it is just one of those Saturday nights. No amount of pre-gig warm up – living room pogoing and primal screaming seems to help. Yes, I primal scream to get energy. I thoroughly recommend it. Though not in a parked car with the window open, which is another story, for another time. Luckily I was going to meet up with some friends and the combination of my pal's ADHD energy (real ADHD, not just Facebook giggle /smirk ADHD) feeding my own, and a pre-flight playlist of garage disease and psychobilly, and I was hit with a wave of "ready-to-rock". Come on. Let us do this thing.

The show began with a storming set by The Better Men Than You. Espen's simmering aggression juxtaposed with a precise performance is an amazing thing to watch. It is like watching 1000 angry wasps in a cola bottle. If I were to pick another member who defines the sound, it would be Ørjan on bass who ties the whole thing together. The glue melds the two disparate guitar tones together. It is also the overlaying pulse, which pushes the drums forward. They did what needed to be done and got off the stage much too quickly, not answering the screams for encore – which is damned cool if you ask me.

The Better Men Than You on Facebook

So, after the bar-hitting and a quick tour around the freaks and geeks that make up the Mojo Workout public – a distillation of everything that is cool, a little unwashed, in rare but very occasions a little smelly (but pretty), of the Bergen muso scene, it is on to the GraveDigger V.

They start. It is, I have to say, a little reserved to begin with. Leighton Koizumi takes to the stage with a certain paisley swagger and a vibey intensity – like a 1960s Dave Grohl. After the first three numbers though, something begins to happen. The near imperceptible liquidity that happens when a band begins to work with the audience and sees the public's arse needs a good kicking. The GraveDigger V accept and begin to kick. Everything starts to move – including the pogoing and grooving front line near the stage. I admit, yes, that was I, valiantly trying to combine a bit of both a swing, a twitch and hop all at the same time. All right, I admit, it probably looked more like a gorilla trying to find an area to relieve itself. That is just the way I roll. All right? Then, as we near the finale things really start to cook on gas. Everybody is moving and the temperature of The Garage has reached rock and roll level. Yes. The Gravedigger V kicked the arse of the public and did the job.

Another fantastic night from Mojo Workout.