March 28, 2024

Live – Elevant at Surya, London

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Hard rock, bass heavy, metal flecked psych stomps from the wild Elevant. Not to be forgotten.

Elevant
Live
28 March

Surya, London
Spring Tour 2015

A less than promising venue was found in Surya at London’s Kings Cross – which sits isolated, far off the beaten track, like a partied-out eco-warrier lost in a grunge club via the health food shop, with a broken tambourine and an identity crisis. However the mis-matched decor and confused surrounds were all but forgotten when Liverpool trio Elevant launched into a rock-heavy sweaty set of party hard effusive rock n roll.

Audience were intimate yet dedicated, mostly musicians, friends and family, but perhaps a better location and venue, and Elevant, with their top standard of musicianship and showmanship, would more than deserve a packed out a room of over-heated, impassioned, head-banging psych-moshers. It was only due to the intimacy and British reserve of the crowd that gig-goes didn’t get carried away.

With a respectable professionalism, just like the other bands on the (surprisingly long) bill, Elevant gave it their all. Michael Edward produced a throaty rock-vocal and scream that belied his slight frame, and Tom Shand on drums and backing vox psyched up the crowd with full metal monster-roar in the closing number. Meanwhile Hannah Lodge delivered some stylish and slick riffs on bass that featured in the forefront of Elevant’s melodies as heavily as guitar. The trio’s sound was psychedelic noise with an earthy rage, metal-edged hard rock with rampant energetic delivery. Mixed up time signatures, electro-guitar scrapes and squeals, and genre cross-overs featured heavily.

With their wild yet tight musicianship rendered with palpable and engaging excitement, Elevant are clearly a band made for a far bigger stage. They can more than deliver the goods.

Second album ‘Dreamface’ is out now via Elevant Music Ltd.

Sarah Rayner (Chickens are Dinosaurs)

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