Live review: Bronto Skylift

Wednesday 17 February 2010
Nice'n'Sleazy, Glasgow

Spoiling the end of a story is a bad thing right? Like if you’re about to watch a film and some ‘friend’ says, "It’s amazing when the giant octopus kills the mega shark." It makes you want to kick them a little bit.

Well if the same rule applies to a gig review then I’m about to do a bad thing.

Bronto Skylift finish their midweek noisefest at Sleazy's by taking things down jazz street and picking up a trumpeter on the way.

Their drummer replaces his usual machine gun snare hits with clever flicks of the wrist and light cymbal taps, giving their final song a completely different sound while retaining the power and emotion of the rest of the set.

And somehow it avoids being gimmicky. If anything it shows that the band are a little more diverse than their reputation would have you believe; they can totally jam.

The rest of the set is tight and loud with the band displaying their Lightning Bolt credentials to full effect, sandblasting away at a wall of sound that has the crowd eager for more. Yet on tracks like 'Lioness' and 'Wolf' a real pop element is audible through the decibels: Lightning Bolt’s jolly little brother, if you will.

As a band they’re definitely a little self indulgent, with thrashing guitars and outrageously heavy drumming that’s not to everyone’s taste. But there’s melody and groove at the heart of their songs, and a passion in their delivery that would put most bands to shame.

I leave the gig totally sure that they’re my favourite double act around at the moment (followed closely by Jay Z and Alicia Keys of course).

Words: Aimi Gold
Photos: Martyn Tramaine

Bronto Skylift play The 13th Note, Glasgow on the 19 Feb and Classic Grand, Glasgow on 24 Feb.