Caught Live: Crystal Antlers, London

When in (touch wood) years to come, someone asks, Padraic, when exactly did you start to lose your hearing? At least now I can give them a time, place, date and even the song that did it. I mean I know standing two feet from an amp while Crystal Antlers finish off a thundering set with 'Parting Song For The Torn Sky' is doing irreparable damage. I know listening to that same seven-minute EP closer on repeat while walking home isn't doing me any long term favours. But it's just impossible not to. And if the world is going to end as some of the Long Beach, Californians' epic songs might lead you to believe, well then I wanna go down all ears bleeding.

But before Ragged Words put its hearing in danger, it mind is nearly lost first. Those of us that chose tonight as the one in five chance to see Crystal Antlers in the capital were dealt a bum hand. We could have caught the cosmic west coasters supporting Lucky Dragons in the Luminaire on Monday, playing alongside Banjo or Freakout in the Borderline a day later as well as two future occasions (we still might) because tonight's support of Loverman and Ark People are pitiful in comparison. That and the self-important promoter/DJ who left the ready and waiting headliners side of stage until ten to eleven while he finished off a half burst of 90's west coast gangsta rap and Another Level - yep Dane Bowers' lot - I know...

Frustrations lasted all of two seconds though as soon as Crystal Antlers ripped into one of three unfamiliar-on-the-night songs from their April-due full debut Tentacles. The new tracks were, we daren't say more polished, but certainly exuded greater control and patience than those on last year's ecstatically received EP. Their quite unique psych-rock soul sound remains throughout however and is at its powerful best when the unstoppable and relentless 'Until The Sun Dies, Pt. 2' and 'A Thousand Eyes' prove predictable highlights. More impressive over the eight songs and half an hour of eardrum bashing, is the fact that the five-piece (second guitarist Erol Davis isn't about tonight) are utterly transfixing. Be it Johnny Bell's wailing vocals or Damian "Sexual Chocolate" Edwards dancing - the percussionist resembles a far more useful Bez - Crystal Antlers have the presence to match the noise. And man it's like going to a My Blood Valentine concert with a hearing aid rather than ear plugs. Glorious.