It’s 8:30 pm in Brighton, Fat white family stroll onto the stage to their instruments, casually slinging them on before pulling into line. 90 seconds later singer lias Saudi is wading into the sold out crowd.
After a year of extensive touring and the release of 3rd album ‘serfs up’ to much acclaim I was still stunned to witness the swaggering level they have reached. Forget primal scream, FWF are the best rock and roll band touring at the moment and if they continue in this vain they just might save it. Elevating their previous back catalogue of indie punk hits to sing along Status which with the new tunes made for a feast of the senses, raucously serving up a glam rock apocalyptic punk soup, untamed yet delivered with slickness and control.
Vocally lias was at the top of his game, faultless, whirring around the hypnotic beats like a wasp, reigning himself in only whilst Saul Adamczewski’s soothing baritone met his harmony. Sam Toms on the drums was masterful with his intensity and power, Saul and Adam Harmer effortlessly cool and unflinching on guitars, whilst flanking the squirming lias. Adam Brennan (Bass) Alex White (sax/percussion) and Nathan Saudi (keys) all style it out perfectly as the final pieces of this glam-punk, psychedelic miners puzzle, and they make it tick. This bomb. A humming kaleidoscopic pocket of glam rock fuckaganza.
As they kick off a week long residency tonight (Tuesday 3rd December ) at London Earth hackney I’d emplore anyone who hasn’t already, to go see them live and experience this band, and it will be, like mine, your gig of the year.
Ian Daniels
