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Review: 'OFF! / Cerebral Ballzy'
'Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, 8th October 2014'   


-  Genre: 'Punk/New Wave'

Our Rating:
What made punk revolutionary, and part of its enduring appeal, is that it’s about attitude rather than ability. Anyone could form a band, knock out a three-chord racket and vent their frustrations. Cerebral Ballzy embrace and embody all of that: young, brash, snotty kids from New York, misfit skater types who want to get drunk and stick it to the establishment, a world they don’t belong to or want to, they’re sloppy, trashy and messy. They play old-school US hardcore punk, they play fast, but loose, mic stands and beer bottles litter the stage. They don’t give a fuck. Being from the States, they’re perplexed when there’s a call from a female member of the audience for front man Honor Titus to ‘Show us yer bits,’ but there’s no such confusion about the kids moshing down the front.

By contrast, OFF! play old-school US hardcore punk, and play it tight. Supertight. They also play it faster than pretty much anyone else, slamming down their one to two-minute blasts of sociopolitical bile with barely a beat between each: the songs are short and the spaces between practically non-existent. No pausing to puff and wheeze and catch their breath, no padding the set out with banter, chatter or sermons.

Keith Morris is hardcore to the core and certainly isn’t mellowing with age, burning with intensity throughout the duration of the performance. Again, he’s bemused by the natives and the yells of ‘Yooorkshire!’ from the crowd, but mostly the punters are too busy going nuts to shout much, and there’s certainly no heckling. If anything, there’s an air or awe around the venue, knowing we’re in the presence of a band who are the real deal. OFF! possess just the most incredible energy, their back to basics approach all about channelling that energy into the sonic equivalent of distilled adrenaline. They recapture the spirit of ‘84, not by means of some sad has-been nostalgia trip but by virtue of keeping it real. They set up and dismantle their own gear and tune their own instruments, there’s nothing about these guys that says ‘sell-out’ or ‘artifice.’ Their show isn’t about extroversion and showmanship, but giving it straight and giving 100% for the duration.

The set list in the middle of the stage is about four feet long and must contain the majority of their output to date. The set’s over in what seems like no time, and in truth, is only a short time.

They do treat us to an encore, promising three more songs. Which means a four-minute encore, a whirlwind of fury that sounds as vital as any band you’ll hear, anywhere, ever.
  author: Christopher Nosnibor

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OFF! / Cerebral Ballzy - Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, 8th October 2014
OFF!
OFF! / Cerebral Ballzy - Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, 8th October 2014
Cerebral Ballzy