Sonic experiences that affect your state of mind…

The most fascinating performance I witnessed last weekend at the two-day indoor
London Calling Festival in the wonderful city of Amsterdam, The Netherlands was by a
band called PORRIDGE RADIO. What started as the bedroom project of Brighton based singer/songwriter Dana Margolin turned into a full 5-piece team. I think she wanted some sonic help from other like-minded musicians to get rid of her gnawing demons. Her 2017 LP ‘Bad Breath‘ is not an easy-listening-journey. It clinks and feels like Margolin recorded it in her basement instead of her bedroom. Far away from the daylight, far away from the world’s daily shit. Her minimalist reveries remind me at times of Public Image‘s 1981 album ‘The Flowers Of Romance’ where doubt, fear, anger, rage, despair and questions without answers come together and do your confused head in. The sound of being human in
an inhuman world. Have a listen for yourself right here…

.
Live, last Saturday, full orchestra Porridge Radio created a séance-like atmosphere with Margolin’s intimate introspection on record turning into a sort of exorcistic happening.
I was wondering all the time when the band would explode, when their fiends would
show up on stage, when their cutting lullabies would turn into deafening nightmares. Thirty-five minutes of tremulous tension messing up our minds. Loud/quit/loud/quiet reflections with a razor-sharp, melodic edge. A, both, weird and compelling experience. Can’t wait for their next step.

Some photographic impressions…

Gripping tension…

Shadowplay…

Dark breaths…

PORRIDGE RADIO: Facebook –  Twitter

(Concert pics by Turn Up The Volume!)