In Gnod We Trust (Gnod, South Street Arts Centre, Reading Thursday, 7th October 2019

Gnod playing in Reading?  At South Street Arts Centre! I cannot miss this...

A cold Thursday night beckons, get there early, get some drinks in and see the support, Typical Hunks, a local band.  Checked them out on Bandcamp, sound OK - always good to hear new bands. Yep, nicely set up for the evening.

Typical Hunks took to the stage - a two-piece, guitar, bass and a drum machine - let's hear it for the trusty drum machine, a revival, perhaps?

Didn't warm to them at first, but as the drum machine cranked up, more rhythmic numbers were played. Bass lines and drum patterns snaking around each other, sprinkled atop with angular, spiky guitar lines and equally spiky vocals.  The magic formula slowly emerged. Thirty minutes or so later, they were spent, done.

Would I seek them out? Maybe - if they were on the bill, I'd watch them. Figure there was a kernel of something in their tunes that could become something interesting...

Grab another drink ahead of Gnod...

Wasn't sure what the line-up was going to be - sometimes two drummers, two bass players and two guitars - tonight there was only one bass, but oh what a bass...



...from the opening assault of 'Learn to Forgive', everyone knew they were in for a blitzkrieg of sound. A tsunami was building in my glass, the hairs on my arms were individually shaking - a strange but pleasing sensation - my clothes were vibrating against my skin! Who needs a rabbit when you've got Gnod!

A couple of new numbers later and we're into the magnificence of 'Paper Error' from 'JUST SAY NO...', a snippet of that should capture the exhilaration of Gnod in full flow..



'Bodies for Money' ups the ante again - an onslaught with a dubby middle section to show it's not they're not just a "sturm und drang" one-trick pony.



Closing with another new number, 'Cold Sweat', and fifty minutes or so later, Gnod left the stage as quietly as they'd entered. An unforgettable gig. No compromise. No sell out. No quarter given. All hail Gnod.
"On your feet, or on your knees"

Grabbed the setlist...



...'Zombie', 'Regimental' and 'Cold Sweat' are new numbers, an album in the offing, perhaps?

One of the tracks on YouTube...



...and three of them on Spotify...



...you pay your money, and takes your choice...

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