On record, The Boxer Rebellion are a band who excel in their field, they bring a sound which is incredibly unique and has created one of the best and most ambient albums to come out of this year. The reality, however, is that tonight’s performance has left me thinking they are average at best, and left me wanting to see more.

As tonight’s first band, Clock Opera, begin, they bring with them a decent level of trance which certainly has potential; their sound could be explained as a combination of the likes of Foals and OK GO, with even further additional overtones of electronica. Attendance is rather disappointing to begin with and, as each number finishes, there is a notable minimal level of applause, making the room feel somewhat empty. Thankfully, towards the mid point of the set, this is corrected and the room does fill to a more appropriate level. Vocalist, Guy Connelly, holds his body language in a particularly timid stance, this is an unnecessary trait as Guy’s high vocals in particular excel each song to an entirely new level. I am eager to hear more from Clock Opera with their upcoming album, as I do feel that the band’s experimental vibes largely land well with definite potential for bigger things.

I am a large fan of both of The Boxer Rebellion’s albums, each brings a delightful dynamic to the indie genre which few achieve to a standard so high. After a soundcheck which seems to last an eternity and a stage littered with colourful drum and amp skins, I have large expectations for these guys to deliver a remarkable show. As opening number ‘Let It Go’ begins, the sound is fulfilling and the vocals are to an incredible standard, even the crowd seem immediately engaged and a large level of response is given to the number. ‘Big Ideas’ then brings a more upbeat tone and guitarist Andrew Smith holds incredible amounts of enthusiasm, he head bangs and throws himself around the stage, still thrashing at his guitar even after dropping his pick with an incredible level of determination.

However it is here that the evening takes a turn. The momentum that has just been built up is immediately lost with the slower ‘Out of The Car’, the track stops all energy in the room dead, leaving a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. This trend does seem to continue for a few tracks, the inconsistent pacing makes each song feel isolated as opposed to part of a complete show. This is emphasised even further through a distinct lack of interaction with the crowd, leaving awkward and prolonged silences between songs.

Salvation does come in the form of an acoustic rendition of ‘Always’ whereby vocalist, Nathan Nicholson, enters the crowd with nothing more than a guitar and his voice. In the silent room, his vocals excel and clearly show just how talented this man is, the crowd then join in for the chanting chorus and a very special atmosphere is created and the first signs of genuine interaction emerge. The number is graced with largest applause of the entire evening.

The second half of the set is far more structured, upbeat fan favourites in particular such as ‘Weapon’ and ‘Diamonds’ put the show back on track. The transient sounds allow the audience to gladly move around the room to their heart’s content and the lyrics are echoed throughout the room. Musically, The Boxer Rebellion sounded great, Nathan’s vocals are tight and the melodies tonight echo that of the album, the only downside was a definite lack of human connection throughout the show, which left the set feeling rushed and completely disengaged from the audience. This distancing seemed to take away the spark that makes this band particularly special, and left each number feeling hollow.

I still remain convinced that The Boxer Rebellion are a great band, their music is phenomenal, I only wish their showmanship was the same. However, perhaps this was simply an ‘off night’ for the band. I do still eagerly look forward to their return to Brighton and, assuming the interaction has been addressed, I feel they are set to put on a show which excels in all categories.
Ben Walker

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