Thursday 17/05/07 Battles, Clark, Tired Irie @ The Corporation, Sheffield

For a long time, a Battles storm has been brewing. Having released two EPs over the course of two years they've managed to go unnoticed, mainly in Britain due to their indie counterparts Battle. However in the past few weeks they've established themselves, by secretly creating the music lovers album of the year. Almost trapped between genres as the venue fills, not with the usual metal heads but the more broad-tasted music listener, many tonight are waiting for an excuse to hail Battles a musical breakthrough. However before that we have to endure the bands who strive to be everything Battles create.
 
Tired Irie, not quite confident enough to turn to the full hardcore/electronic route, instead spend their time uncomfortably jumping between two genres. As the band appear wearing skinny jeans and striped t-shirts a la Franz Ferdinand, they attempt to create the warped sound of their peers but fall back on their dull easy vocals.
 
Clark on the other hand, who has managed to advertise his live drummer on every lamppost in Sheffield uses his live set as a disadvantage. Consisting of a boring man in an anorak, the drummer is left as the only entertainment; except he fails to add anything to the performance. With the music mainly consisting of drum loops, all the said drummer added was the same exact live beat. When he periodically stopped to have a conversation with the DJ (as you can imagine, a highlight of the show) you couldn't tell the difference. As for the music- imagine Nathan Barley creating an electro mashup in his bedroom, then playing it to you at top volume while screaming "HAVE IT!" in your face and you are a fifth there.