Everything these days has to be an ‘experience’ doesn’t it? We’re bombarded with the word. Marketing men have us believe that nothing we do can be done unless it is one. Having a cup of coffee is no longer just having a cup of coffee but has been elevated to the heights where companies exist to claim that their “whole life revolves around creating a unique coffee experience for the customer.” We no longer talk of going to the shops, but a “shopping experience.” Even music festivals have become part of the experiential marketing trick.
So it’s easy to be cynical when we say that going to see Arrows of Love live is an experience. But it is.
An Arrows of Love show is a noisy, chaotic, trashy, sexy, loud, intense, dark, not-sure-what's-going-to-happen-next, art-punk riot.
Arrows of Love is a band that appears to play for kicks and nothing else.
Arrows of Love is like a cartoon band that came to life but they’re 100% real as f*ck.
Arrows of Love is the sort of band that if you invited them to meet your parents would dive straight in and have full-on screaming orgasm drug-laden sweaty sex with each other whilst mum and dad were cooking Sunday roast and then they'd have them join in for pudding. (Actually they’re probably really quiet clean cut chartered accountants outside of the band, but that’s what we imagine.)
Arrows of Love don’t do dextrous musical proficiency, soft melodies and laptop driven glitchy beats. They probably drink from the bottle not the glass. (We're talking wine here)
Arrows of Love have a drummer who looks like he’s stepped out of time capsule that states ‘1970’s rock band,’ and he’s fantastic.
Arrows of Love have two women who you just know were the two coolest kids at school; and still are now.
Arrows of Love appear to teeter on the edge of everything, but that’s what makes them so compelling.
Arrows of Love don't just use the stage they use the venue.
Arrows of Love don't just use the stage they use the venue.
Arrows of Love are not for the faint hearted.
Arrows of Love will chew your ears off and you’ll love it.
Arrows of Love play the Great Escape in Brighton at The Hope on Saturday at 21.45 (so if you can’t get in for what is bound to be an oversubscribed show by Chvrches at the same time, here’s something different to consider.) They're also on tour right now.
Arrows of Love are an experience.
*Footnote – do not be misled by the gentle sound of most of The Knife. Listen to the lyrics and wait for the song to explode.
Arrows of Love - The Knife
Arrows of Love - Illusionist (Live)
This was our final post on artists that are playing this year's Great Escape that we've never featured before.
3 comments:
If the examples provided on this page truly reflect the "experience," there is nothing new or innovative here. Black Flag and the like were doing this in the late 1970s.
Certainly there's very little guitar based music that is original today. Guitar based rock / punk/ indie music seems to have reached a point where it has become like folk music - a traditional form where the art replicates ideas that have gone before.
However, just because something isn't original doesn't mean it isn't possible to still experience its power again (or for some audience members the first time).
what a cool review
feels like i'm at the gig!!!!!!!!!!!
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