19. The Jezabels

Koko

22 February 2012

I am deep in a YouTube black hole when up pops a video featuring Danny MacAskill, the king of trial-bike tricks, with his “Way Back Home” video, soundtracked by an epic, pulsing indie rock anthem. A quick click around and I’ve unearthed an entire Aussie band I didn’t know I needed. And it doesn’t take me long to devour their EPs. So when their debut album, Prisoner, finally lands, I’m all in.

This band are an indie rock Frankenstein’s monster: a metalhead drummer who hammers out tribal rhythms, a classically trained pianist, a guitarist with a knack for cinematic soundscapes, and Hayley Mary, a frontwoman who’s got the whole stage-commanding, vocal acrobatics thing down.

So, when they announced a UK tour, playing at the old Camden Palace, rebranded KOKO as part of its resurrection (a venue that tragically went up in flames a few years later). The show kicks off with Endless Summer, with the drummer pounding out the heartbeat to the song. It’s all theatrical melodrama, pulsing high-concept pop, with Hayley prowling around like a disco-puma in an indie-jungle.

My best mate had to start his journey homeward before the encore but whilst waiting for Mornington Crescent to clear out, I end up at the bar with one or two lingering punters with the same idea. We were rewarded with Nik and Sam (drummer and lead guitar) coming in for a post-show pint. Conversations were struck, pub banter was slung, temporary bar-friendships were forged. It ended up as three, perhaps four pints and I missed my late train home. Worth it.