Wounds – The Barfly – 02 February 2010
Words by Ian Dickinson / Photo’s by Michael Dickinson
I had neither seen nor heard of Wounds till about a week ago. I am glad that they made the trip from Ireland to scare and thrill the attendees of Camden Barfly on what had started out as a bloody miserable Tuesday in February. From the moment Wounds step out they have no concept of physical boundaries. Even if you are unmoved by their savage, fractured and funky punk rock you will certainly enjoy their live performance. It seems they place as much emphasis on the art and theatre of performing as they do on the music itself.
A large hard case has been strategically positioned at the front of the stage and acts as a perch for Aidan Coogan (vocals) to begin his assault. The mic stand is jettisoned as the Wounds begin their 25min attack. Coogan squats sinisterly resembling a punk rock gargoyle, whilst he consumes the mic in his mouth in a rather phallic manner. An intensity and delirium builds inside him as he sadistically tangles himself up in the mic lead. It isn’t just the lead singer who disrespects the confines of the stage. Guitarist James Coogan barely steps foot on it. His mic is positioned so that he can sing from audience level. As he cracks open beer after beer with his teeth, his fury seems to rile his vocal counterpart further. Between the two, it is a musical experience not to be missed.
At certain times tonight I am scared for my own safety and especially the security of my overpriced and flat beer. Aidan Coogan springs from his perch, in a style reminiscent of 1980s wrestling classics Macho Man Randy Savage and Super Fly Jimmy Snuka. I am a little taken aback by this dramatic and athletic feat. Normally these moves are reserved for tight nit crowds that provide heads and hands to cushion the blow and not sparse open audiences who move less than a whippet dipped in quick drying cement.
It is nothing new for bands to demand their audience move a little closer. After four tracks, Wounds do the same and to my surprise they are greeted with a minor stampede of nervous but inquisitive faces. I guess I wasn’t the only one enjoying myself. They bravely attempt a cover of proto-punk classic Search and Destroy by Iggy Pop and the Stooges. The moves of Aidan Coogan mirror those of the now scrotum skinned Stooges front man. It’s a respectable rendition but not earth shattering. In my mind it is such a classic track that I would be overtly critical of any one trying to cover it.
Wounds possess a nonchalant swagger that I find intriguing. It is as if they are completely bored and indifferent to life. As if their apathy has driven them to the point of frenzy and rather than internalising this they are dishing it out with sheer vitriol. The music and persona of Wounds reminds me of eccentric cult classics the 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Gay For Johnny Depp. They are not yet of the same unconventional calibre as the aforementioned bands but considering they have only been together since 2008, they still have time to reach that level and even surpass it.
The highlight of the set comes in the form of Dead Dead Fucking Dead, the bands first single due for release on the 22nd February. Not an entirely original track but it is one hell of a demonic hardcore shout-a-long song. I am sure it will become a crowd favourite as Wounds popularity inevitably grows.
Lead singers and band members interacting with the audience has almost become the norm. With some bands it can feel fake and contrived. It is as if the only reason they are doing it is because ‘that’s what all the cool bands are doing.’ There is nothing false or forced about this performance. It was an incredible show but I would love to see them in a venue with fans and spectators who are just as involved as they are. They gave it everything they had but I believe that bands need to feed off the energy of the crowd to really excel. I think that with the right audience and venue Wounds would be utterly unstoppable and intensely entertaining. It would probably be wise to have a Saint Johns Ambulance on stand by though. Get to a live show as soon as you can and watch the chaos unfold before your eyes or even better just jump right in!
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