Dark Horses at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London (03/31/14)
Transcendental pop-punk band, Dark Horses, ventured north from Brighton last Monday to play at London’s Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen. Touring Europe in promotion of their forthcoming album, Hail Lucid State, Dark Horses is a band with an exceptionally unique ability to gently put their audience at ease as they guide them into an ethereal world of oblivion.
Dressed in black leather, front-woman Lisa Elle immediately set the precedent by encouraging the crowd to, “Lean back into the sound and let it hold you tight.â€
Shrouded in fog and heavy red lighting with a stream of black and white images flashing on a large screen behind them, Dark Horses literally set the stage in a landscape of mystery. Kicking off the set with their latest single, “Live On Hungerâ€, Elle’s relaxed echo of sultry vocals is built on layers of droning guitars and synthesizers, accented by slaps of tambourine. The trance-punk witchcraft of sound combined with the hazy visuals, gives the viewer the illusion that they’re being taken to peek behind the looking glass – into a world unknown to most and best captured in David Lynch films. The set and one encore included additional captivating and cocoon-weaving hits like “Traps†and “Boxing Dayâ€. If you’re in Europe, I highly recommend slipping into one of the Dark Horses’ gigs and letting the black magic envelope and overwhelm you. |