Caught Live: Cymbals Eat Guitars

The Lexington is so packed, Ragged Words has to apologise for breathing. We're so squashed in that to do so would feel like invading the space of the rather large guy we're stood next to. For a small room, this is usually a good thing but looking around, we're not sure whether we are in fact at a concert or an AGM for music industry hangers on.

Cymbals Eat Guitars' reputation seems to have preceded them. The downside being that they have the "pleasure" of playing a room where half are there to make sure the're seen by other who need to make sure they're seen by others etc. Luckily for the band the other half of the Lexington are a rabid, loud and raucous bunch who give every drop of the energy and passion that pours from each corner of the stage. After frontman Joseph D'Agostino sheepishly introduces himself, he does a total 360, letting out a scream that any heavy-metal frontman would be proud of and hurls us into action with ‘And The Hazy Sea’.

Matching the precise flow of their immense debut album ‘Some Trees’ follows closely and though some cracks start to appear within the bands performance, it becomes apparent that their perfection is in fact in their imperfection. These songs aren’t meant to be replicated note-for-note and the odd bum-note here or there does nothing more than make this performance that bit more engaging. And soon after the opening double gauntlet, those stood around hoping to be noticed – to be able to say “I was there” the next morning - start to vacate the venue and head to the bar downstairs.

The numbers in the crowd may become a little lighter than the band deserve, but the atmosphere takes a turn for the better as the band slow things down a bit with their poppier numbers ‘Indiana’ and ‘Wind Phoenix’ and even manage to get a little but of dancing going in the front row in the process. They turn the power bar back up to end an immersive set, finishing off what has been a near complete live airing of their debut album.

We can’t help but want more.  A lot more.  We just hope next time Cymbals Eat Guitars come to London those who don’t actually care about being there will just stay at home and spend their evening tweeting about it rather than taking up the valuable breathing space for those who do. It’s the very least this great live band deserves.