Digital, 6th November 2008

Consisting of little more than main men Tom and Pat on bass guitars and a keyboard, together with a drummer, Evil Nine took full advantage of Digital’s immense sound system.

The chugging bass-driven intro of the aptly titled “Set it Off” from the new album was an excellent choice for the first tune and ‘set’ the tone for the rest of the show. The lyrical flow was provided by a guest MC, who unusually often hung back to allow the music and Pat’s vocoded vocals to be the main focus. “They Live!” came early in the set and received by far the biggest response of the night. Although more stripped down than the album version, the tune seemed to benefit from the raw live sound, with a catchy chorus providing ample opportunity for a crowd singalong.

Despite the uncomplicated set up on stage the band delivered an interesting show. Tom remained fairly quiet throughout, content to let Pat do most of the talking and singing, only occasionally adding backing vocals. The set was full of rocking tunes that, among other highlights, featured lead guitar-esque basses and a sound occasionally reminiscent of Rage Against The Machine, albeit with a better MC. The last song of the evening, “Pearl Shot” (from first album “You Can Be Special Too”) stomped along with the “it’s your time” loop, which – after a drawn out breakdown – kicked back in, allowing the crowd one final boogie before the lads disappeared.

Apparently Evil Nine wanted to take their first album live but didn’t know how to translate their sound to stage, but you have to wonder why, especially considering the relatively simple set up and it’s excellent use. Admittedly more of a fan of their live show than their recorded tracks, I now await their return with baited breath.

Words by Chris Leggett
Photography by Ian Greenland