Clunk Events hosted Falmouth band Mothman, The Man at Bristol’s Exchange with friends Taipan and School Disco for a night of noise, psychedelia and distortion
As I walked into the main room of Exchange, I was not left with much time to settle in. Without any hesitation, Bristol band Taipan’s noise blasted from the speakers. Guttural screams, distorted guitars and seriously heavy instrumentation filled the room amply and while I did miss Factor 50, Taipan were certainly a worthy addition to the night.
Next up was School Disco, all the way from Brighton. Beforehand, I was told to expect psychedelic punk jams and they definitely did not disappoint. With an unassuming stage presence, I did not know quite what I was getting myself into but as soon as the first track started, I was smiling. The joy of School Disco comes from their huge build-ups that lead into even huger payoffs.
The riffs were extremely heavy and the guitar tones so beautifully dirty that I couldn’t help but be amazed. The mood was psychedelic but not floaty and the band confidently made their way through a solid setlist. “Come and say hi afterwards” they said, “but we’re leaving straight away so be quick.” They are a no-nonsense band and continued the theme of big noise all the time.
Finally was Falmouth’s Mothman, The Man, who were fresh from the release of their fantastic debut album 1000 Eyes. The album is versatile, full of character and extremely entertaining and, I’m pleased to announce, so is their live show. The band started strong with album opener ‘Tearless’. The riff is so infectious and it really is the perfect start.
Immediately, it is clear how tight Mothman are. Frontman Connor, armed with two mics, confidently led the pack, while Charlie’s basslines never faltered. Billy Mattock, the busiest man in Falmouth, is an absolute beast on the drums. Not many drummers can create just as much excitement when playing snail-paced grunge as they do when playing frenetic punk but Billy somehow manages it. Mothman truly are a spectacle to see live.
Making their way through most of their album, we were treated to exhilirating performances of ‘Hugo’ and highlight ‘Outside’. We also got a couple of surprise appearances like ‘Formaldehyde’ from their self-titled EP.
For such a new band, Mothman, The Man are such a pleasure to watch and seeing their growth through only two releases is seriously exciting.
Listen to 1000 Eyes here:
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