There seems to be some sort of laboratory in London which is developing a variety of post-punk concoctions. Successful experiments include but are not limited to: Black Midi, Dry Cleaning, and Black Country, New Road. Now I’m certainly not the first to write about this wave of bands, but consider this a reminder of the productivity of this sonic lab. One of these experiments, Squid, arrived at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, test tubes fuming, and spewed out hoards of brilliantly ludicrous noise this week.
Having watched some of Squid’s performances on YouTube, and being familiar with their 2021 debut album, Bright Green Field, I was prepared for an exquisite experience, and was not disappointed. Frontman Ollie Judge opened under a blue-lit drum kit, nonchalantly banging out fills over some drony synths before the band erupted into the opener. There’s something so special about a singing drummer, the difficulty of the task and the rarity of the arrangement. Ollie takes this position with excellent charisma and aggression, while the rest of the band confidently swap instruments and display exceptional musicianship.
The set continued, precise guitars intertwined with trumpet melodies, and the ambiance of the lord of the synths working his magic. The lyrics were witty, singing of things such as a documentary filmmaker, and the music captivating. “Narrator”, an epic 8 ½ minute track, was a clear high point of the performance and certainly went over its usual run time. “Boy Racers” was an equally jaw dropping performance, with its closing synth solo of doom.
As I consider Squid and the “ethos of punk,” if you will, and the importance of non-conformity, it is clear to me that Squid have created their own sound, and don’t really care what you or I think. The great thing is, they likely won’t be heckled as avant-garde punk bands of old often were, because the fans are here for this, and we love it.
For tickets to Squid, visit there website https://squidband.uk/
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