Cyrus Larcombe Moore
Cyrus is a poet and journalist with Essential Tremor from Devon. He’s now based in Belfast studying MA Poetry at Queens University Belfast.
On Thursday night above The Deer’s Head in Belfast, Chalk brought something rapturous and raw back to Belfast
With free Jameson Black Barrel on arrival and a free cocktail when desired, the venue was thick with anticipation. The lucky crowd who’d scored tickets were all here for the return of Belfast’s best young band. On stage, lights like the tentacular hands of Sam Remi’s Doc Ock cast a red glow onto our expectant faces.
Chalk came on to rapturous applause. Vocalist Ross Cullen entered in all black, hands wrapped in chainmail gauntlets raised to the ceiling like he was reaching for something outside the building. There’s nothing said before the music begins and, holy shit, did it do the talking. Chalk are doing something powerful and urgent, setting out their stall for what Belfast’s post-punk scene is and can be.
Right now, the best of post-punk is found in the collision of electronic and guitar music and Chalk have taken this fusion further than most. Their sound doesn’t rely on noisy guitars or driving synth; it’s built on the ebb and flow of the tension between the two. Chalk don’t settle into easy rhythm—they thrash between quiet and chaos keeping you right on the edge of expectation.
With his chainmail gauntlets glinting under the lights, Cullen looked underground, railing against the conservatism, religiosity and homogeneity of the north of Ireland. Despite the sponsor, the whole show felt collectively subversive in its rage, joy and dance.
Chalk’s sound recalls the intense discordance of pioneers like Suicide, and the jagged political rhythms of Gang of Four or The Pop Group. Their music is reminiscent of a punk tradition and distinctly modern, calling on contemporary dance music to add atmosphere and sonic power to their music. In Chalk’s hands, live music doesn’t just play—it gets into you. So, as the house lights came up, the crowd lingered, celebrating not only Chalk but their own joy.
Listen to ‘Tell Me’ here: