Bambara, Soup Kitchen. 22nd October 2019

Soup Kitchen is quickly becoming one of my favourite venues. I’ve not been here that many times, but whenever I do I’m taken with it’s literal dingy basement charm. A stage only a couple of feet above the floor and a back wall that always seems just behind you, it feels really cozy and fuck me is it loud! Encased in concrete, about 50 like minded souls are here to get their ears pulverised by American dark noise rock merchants Bambara. This five piece including two brothers are brutal as they chug through a set of dark waves, pounding rhythms, vicious guitars and hauntingly mesmeric vocals. There’s no hint of theatre or grandiose despite the soaring sounds, it’s black clad blokes with guitars, mics and drums banging out a garage-rock style beauty that’s bloody wonderful. New song Serrafina is probably what’s brought most people here, but it disappears within the material from the previous three albums that punch just as hard... seriously it almost hurts! Singer Reid Bateh is incendiary as he prowls, twists and smashes his way about the stage. Drummer Blaze Bateh is the bastard son of Freddie Mercury and Animal, he’s a tornado of tashe and teeth. I don’t often give much credit to drummers but this guy is awesome and provides the essential backbone for the swarming guitars to let loose with a sinister rage for a little under an hour and then bang, just like that they’re off and the 50 people in here are left smiling and stunned, wondering what the hell just happened.