Henge / Rescue Rooms / Nottingham
The best shows are not always the biggest, and this was one I’d been looking forward to for some time, as Henge landed in Nottingham for a show at the Rescue Rooms. Walking in I was chatting with the door staff, who asked ‘have you heard of the support before?’ No I said….. ‘you’ll have fun photographing this lot tonight, they’re going to perform in the middle of the crowd lol’……. Interesting ! I like a challenge.
I walked in, and there in the corner were Dogshow, two brothers from Liverpool , setting up a stand with their equipment. Basically a moving platform, split into two halves with a bar across the top between the two sides (like an old hotel baggage trolley ?). On one side are the drum pads, drum machines and Korg Kaossilator, and on the other side, the synths, such as Novation BassStation 2.
Off they went, and shortly after they returned, dressed head to toe in white with fluffy white dog head masks !
Grabbing the cart, they drag it out into the middle of the crowd and we all gather round, as the ‘dogshow’ sign on the top of the bar lights up and slowly spins round. They dive right into a set of, at it’s heart dance music. It’s hard to pigeon-hole them into any one style, as their style genre-fluid sometimes disco, dance, techno, dubstep etc…… The one thing you do know, is it’s good dancing stuff !
As with the masks, the audience participation was key to the performance, with everyone encouraged to howl and woof at the end of the songs.
It was….. unique – but also really good. The crowd really got into it, and by the end of the set, those at the front round the band were dancing energetically, and enjoyed joining a conga line round the cart.
It was fun, exciting, odd (!) but musically very good too. I’ve never seen a support quite like it, and I loved it.
And now it’s time for the visitation of Henge. A very quick turn round (basically as the stage was set up earlier, a few minor tunings from the men in white coats, and the lights dimmed and the entrance music started.
Henge were formed in Manchester back in 2015 and released their first EP “Cosmic Dross” in 2017, and their most recent album (brilliant by the way, well worth a listen) “Alpha Test 4” in 2023.
So what are Henge ? Well, take your pick from Acid rock, electronic rock, experimental rock, psychedelic funk, psychedelic rock, synthwave…. And space rock ! If you like Osric Tentacles and Gong, you may well enjoy Henge.The lights drop and flashing lights give the impression of a space ship landing as the band step out, first is the grey alien Goo (on synths and bass), followed by the green alien drummer Nom, Grok on synths, and finally Zpor, the guitarist and vocalist. (Zpor - Matthew Whitaker, Goo - Pete Turner, Grok – synthesizers and Nom – drums).
The look is very Hitch Hikers guide with Zpor as Zaphod, and Grok as a hippy Arthur Dent !
Zpor is resplendent in richly decorated robes and a hat, topped with a working plasma ball !
Zpor addresses the crowd and says ‘greeting earthlings’ and explains how they have visited earth to spread their message, and have been able to construct a temporary gravity sphere around the Rescue Rooms so the show can go ahead. ‘Do you, like me, like adventures? Would you like to come on a space adventure tonight?’
And with that, we are whisked off of an intergalactic adventure like no other. The sound is a mix of things, very psychedelic, but with elements of SKA, and glam rock mixed in, using a voice transformer (Roland VT4?) to create other-worldly vocal sounds.
The set had a number of tracks from their excellent latest album “Alpha test 4”, the highlight being a brilliant rendition of Get A Wriggle On, a brilliantly fun track with a serious message about how we are leaving a legacy timebomb for our kids with the way we are treating the environment. How Nom performs on the drums in that mask (er I mean with that thick alien hide) is beyond me !
Check out the brilliantly fun video for Get a Wriggle On below:
Visually Henge are fantastic, taking on the roles they play in a brilliantly serious and yet (tongue in cheek) fun way. Musically very solid too it’s a show unlike anything else.
Overall….. a great night with two very different, but equally ‘strange’ but equally entertaining sets. Dogshow give a uniquely interactive performance that encourages your involvement, and Henge…… make the universe feel that little bit more fun.
Watch out for shows, you won’t be disappointed by either !
