The mighty Warmduscher hit the stage at Rock City on Wednesday, bringing a swaggering show that only these cowboy party fiends could pull off…
Known for their eclectic mix of punk, funk, and electronic influences, British alt-rockers Warmduscher formed in 2015 by members from various bands, including Fat White Family and Childhood. Bringing groovy basslines, off-kilter rhythms, and raw, often eccentric lyrics, with a distinctive lo-fi production style, they’re currently on their fifth studio album, Too Cold to Hold, released this year and featuring an eclectic mix of appearances from the likes of Irvine Welsh, Confidence Man’s Janet Planet, and experimental French producer Coucou Chloe.
There's something about Warmduscher's sound that makes me feel inebriated, and the seeing their live performance affirmed that hunch. There's a gritty undertone within their genre-blending approach - a wall of sound weaved with an unapologetic, surreal sleaze that is highly cinematic - the chaos of Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas mixed with the late night antics of Robert Rodiguez's From Dusk Til Dawn. Of course they take to the stage wearing shades, cowboy hats and a a bucket of swagger.
Rock City is markedly quieter than usual on this Wednesday in mid-November, which is surprising considering the band's decade long career so far. It's a shame, because the band are on form and certainly feed their energy back to the crowd as best they can. There’s something incredibly carefree yet precise in their style. It’s not polished or pristine - it’s dirty and reckless and absolutely alive.
Opening with the woozy, spacey Janet Planet collab Pure At The Heart, sets a somewhat serene tone that is obviously not to last. A few songs later we're treated to probably one of their biggest singles Midnight Dipper which gets the crowd edging closer towards the nocturnal weirdness of the Warmduscher world. It's bouncy, irreverent and an absolute banger which fully exemplifies their sound. We then head into Wild Flowers, which with its numerous expletives is not as romantic as it sounds, but more a cathartic release to enjoy when feeling apathetic and cantakerous. As the band move from song to song with a raucous energy it begins to feel like everything could spiral out of control at any second, which only makes it more electric.
On we race, through recent single Cleopatras, the electro infused Disco Peanuts (a title which I completely misheard and had guessed something much more indecent), and Double Vision, which sounds a bit like a drug-fuelled Ace of Spades fiesta. Aside from the music, I am very much enjoying the stage presence - the Gary Numan-esque look of keyboardist Marley Mackey, the dark cowboy threads of Adam J. Harmer, and the (slightly more offbeat) look of bass guitarist Benjamin Romans-Hopcraft which is somehow reminding me of South Park's Kenny. This is a band that looks like a band, which I very much appreciate.
The show races towards its conclusion, finishing with another classic I Got Friends, a stomping, strutting track full of boastful and slightly unhinged lyrics. As they leave the stage I realised there's been one big omission - my favourite Warmduscher song - the cheerleader infused Twitchin in the Kitchen. But it has been a mighty performance nonetheless and it feels like we have been swept into into a whirlpool of gritty noise and infectious beats for an hour. Whether you’re ready for it or not, Warmduscher will pull you into their dizzying space cowboy disco leaving you breathless and itching for more.
Warmduscher performed Rock City on 13th November 2024.
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