Think I'll have to miss out on that review, sounds like someone needs a throttling....

Amazing gig, words can't describe how talented those guys are. Like nothing else in the world! My third time seeing Battles, I expected them to have lost momentum after a hell of alot of touring but I didn't see it.

And what have you got against door security professionals? Are you saying that just because a bloke is large and works in door security that he automatically lacks intellectual capacity? That he lacks the ability to appreciate cultural matters? He's some kind of big monkey man stereotype? Thats profiling that is!

I dunno, I've never seen Battles either so I can't say if the review misses the mark or not, but it sounds like his honest opinion which is all you can ask really.

I do think a lot of indie bands expect a medal or something because they've figured out how to use a sequencer though....

Binokular - Battles are not an indie band using a sequencer, really. You should go see them live next time.

Fairy nuff, like I said, I know nothing about this band.

I wasn't at the gig, and from what I've heard I'm not a fan of Battles, though having read the review I found it interesting that the reviewer's friend regarded them with scorn for "trying to sound a bit different", as if attempting to stand out somehow in the sea of thousands of similiar-sounding groups is the wrong thing to do. And then he quotes the bouncer going "ah jaysus, sure this isn't real music at all at all!", as if that verifies his opinion. I do think the success of the Redneck Manifesto is that they normally manage to make those instrumental rock grooves into something more expressive than just a technical excercise, though obviously the reviewer wasn't feeling this either.

I have not looked at this site in about a year. The very weak writing in that review is enough to justify my lack of interest.
She did'nt even arrive on time to catch the wonderful Chrome Hoof...I mean, at least acknowledge your flaws as a writer who arrived late... seriously...give readers a bit more credit.
Chrome hoof offered the kind of music that should be piped into Darts and buses so that we dont breed another generation of whingey little Dublin eejits with aspirations to be the next Glenn Hansard. Once was enough!
I am a Mr. Bungle fan so really enjoyed their mix of George Clinton Funkadelic/Death metal rock. I was also never as afraid of a female in all my life. I made eye contact several times and felt scared. Great frontwoman.
I am with Darragh somewhat on the Redneck Manifesto. I was told by many people that it would be something special. However I was whelmed. One of the guitar players seemed to make a fair few mistakes. Was probably a nice nostalgia trip for many fans, to be honest I felt like alot of foreign bands do that stuff alot better these days, but at least it's better than some bunch of rich kids taking themselves too seriously imagining writing their life story while they play (insert modestly sucessful Dublin/London based indie band here..literally if possible). The Redneck Manifesto were in the moment as musicians, but the music seemed a little dated...Fair play though, they do their thing.
Has Darragh Murray even done research into Battles?
I've seen Battles thrice: once drunk, then once drunk, stoned and on some pills abroad someplace sunny, and then last week completly sober. Last week was the most impressed I've been. (There's a message in that somewhere)
John Stanier is a amazing musician to watch, I know many drummers, none of them would argue with me on that point. I mean the drumming was not even mentioned. Who at Cluas gives the OK for these things?!
The opening always gets me at a Battles gig. Such wierdness. It is like the sound of an old world crashing into the present. Most of the amps etc used are pretty standard and remain unchanged since the 60's, yet the sounds wrung out of those old rags via stomp boxes and Apple macs dont belong in any other decade other than this one. It's a fine soundtrack.
It was a savage gig, crowd were great fun, seemed like good people, set was a little short, but great value for money still. Not too many camera phones either which is a big plus. I hate all you camera phone operators at gigs you are all idiots putting poor quality videos on your social networking site and ruinig it for the rest of us. Stop it. It's childish.
Rave DJ comment...what a narrow view of music, what made you think you could do a review?
Quoting your "cynical friend"...weak...terrible...Sindo level writing girl. Laughable.
Most bouncers in Ireland are generally into the Wolf Tones and violence. The cosmopolitan ones like U2. I mean, this music is not meant for meat heads with chips on their shoulders. I've worked as a bouncer in harder times, I'm not talking rubbish. I did get a laugh out of watching the stage bouncer's face during the gig. Not a clue what was happening on stage. Bewidlered.
Much like the reviewer.

Are you guys actually reading what you're typing?

A gig review, by its very nature, is a critical examination of a performance and not, as you seem to suggest, an excuse for someone who likes a band to see them and say how great they were. Daragh gave his opinion, and is entitled to give it as an established CLUAS writer. Anyone who would like to submit an alternative review please email me at keynotes[at]cluas.com and if I feel you have a basic grasp of the English language, I'll publish it for you.

Or would you rather just bitch about it instead?

this is correct...

...as an aside, i absolutely disagree with the content of the review and believe battles to be the freshest thing that happened to 2007...

Someone writes a review and it disagrees with your own view on said gig / album? Errrr.... (as I scratch my head) ...but so what??? Is there even one reason why someone can't have a different view to yours? No, of course not!

Excuse the preaching but if anyone's expectation is that the opinion, experience, knoweldge or worldview of a reviewer (be it on CLUAS or elsewhere) should conincide with their own, then they've got it wrong. The philosophy 'round CLUAS has always been - and remains - if there's something on the site you read that you disagree with or don't like it (or you just plain think you can do better) then get the proverbial finger out and submit an article. To fudge a phrase, put your pencil lead where your mouth is, and get off the back of anyone who's opinion you disagree with.

Right.

The whole idea of a review is of course, to give one's own opinion. Just as Daragh had every right to say what he thought of the gig, everyone has an equal right to disagree with him on it.

Everyone thinks their own music taste is the s**t. The best. And so is mine.

I thought the Battles gig was outstanding; I was completely lost in time, lost in the music, and though I was initially judgmental of Chrome Hoof's glittery Klax-tumes, they scared and thrilled the be'jesus out of me.

There is nobody I know with a better taste in music than me - this is what everyone is saying in effect, in their posts, their reviews, their opinions. And it's true - that's what makes life interesting. There's no need to attack Daragh's taste; it's just different.

However, I'm still clueless as to what a 'rave DJ' is...

i reckon some of you lot could do with getting a grip. the guy took the time to write a review. you didnt like it or dissagree fine, but attacking him in a 500 word angst ridden tirade is hardly mature.

This is directed at head u phole...."the writing is very weak"..he is not a professional writer...he was reporting what he saw...and heard...christ if i was that guy I would pack in doing reviews for fear that some plonker like yourself would savage it and come looking for blood..get a life mate..he's not advocating the use of nuclear weapons....

I dunno, a bad reaction is a reaction, which is better than no reaction, which means people are reading it, which in itself is encouraging to any writer.

to clarify my position, i was agreeing with idiotkids post whilst still letting everyone know that i am a fan of battles...

...i've since read the review (something i should have done before) and have found it far less controversial than i had expected from the original posts...

Just read the review. Can't see what the issue is. Some fanboy bent out of shape because Daragh dissed their favourite band?

I saw them on Sunday night. They were good but it's something of a law of diminishing returns every time I see them I think.

I totally agree. I'd rather someone read my review and disagreed with my opinion than didn't read the review at all. But I am an egotistical so and so...

Heya, just saw this so i thought i better put in something. I expected a bit of flack, as a lot of people i talked to at the gig thought it was amazing, whereas for me, it really did do absolutely nothing. Some parts were good, most, i thought, were below average, and repetitive. I might just be getting too cynical, and I am all in favour of a "show" but too much of this seemed forced, such as the drummers ridiculously high cymbal or the guitarists "star swipes"

Comparing it to a rave DJ, might have been slightly lazy, or just not clear enough, what i meant was that a DJ has all the tools Battles had at their disposal, mad effects, loops, bass lines, drum machines, but with the benefit of a lot more fluidity. Battles seemed to be recreating this sound, which can be pretty damn intense, but without the fluidity, (or maybe comfort?) to allow them to really make it their own, and express themselves with it. It was all too rigid for personal expression. Actually, that might be what i like least about bands like battles or the red neck manifesto, they lock down beats without ever making them really swing.

In terms of the drumming yeah it was decent, and dude is doubtlessly an amazing drummer, were the beats themselves phenomenal? i didn't treally think so. Compare the beats, and soundscape battles tried to build up to the work of fela kuti, or antibalas, or even the dap kings and in my opinion, it falls short.

Check Roforofo Fight, for something truly ahead of its time, (and to hear the phenomenal tony allen on drums)

in fairness daragh, whilst i defend your review, you may be digging yourself in to a hole with this approach above... what battles do may not float your aural boat... but there is no denying that they are technically brilliant... a "rave dj" mixes existing music...

... and from that creates something new

indeed he does... but what i sense you're getting at is that you dislike complex rhytymic structures and dissonant chords... this is fine... there are plenty of people who find this kind of sound a type of anti-music with no flow and hence no easy melody...

...if i am wrong, apologies... i trust this doesn't sound patronising - since i don't know you, i've had to take a stab in the dark...