SLAVES: LATITUDE 2016
Listen if you like:
Old school 70s punk
Sweet boys from Kent (and Kentish boys)
Heavy, angry, primal guitar and drums
Manta rays
After sprinting across the field, chips in hand, I finally reached the already frenzied crowd in BBC Radio 6’s tent at Latitude. Fighting through the densest crowd I’d seen the entire day, I forgot I’d only missed half a song as SLAVES were already drenched in sweat with their infamous ‘nice guys of punk’ persona obliterated under their tribal stand-up drums.
The audience was as diverse as you would expect. There is something about SLAVES that seems to appeal to both the old-school misfit punk and the quirky, polished indie kid.
Put another 0 in your paycheck // Are you done digging your grave yet? //
Put another 0 in your paycheck // Are you done digging your grave yet? //
SLAVES don’t “perform”. They shove their music and energy down your throat. The crowd lap it up, their mouths open like gannets.
Their second song, Live Like An Animal, threw us back to the late 70s punk scene with a catchy chorus, heavy guitar, and the vocals of Suggs x Sid Vicious.
The raw energy pumping out of the duo gave off a nostalgia that took you back to basements under pubs with sweat dripping from the ceiling.
The highlight of the night was their performance of my new favourite song, Cheer Up London. They pulled Harvey (#findharvey) out of the crowd to demonstrate his 'poppin' through the song. Audience participation is never rare at SLAVES gigs and always brilliant.
Their extended album 'Are You Satisfied?' is out now in all its funny, filthy, crazy glory.
