If you’re reading this I’ll assume you’re aware of The Velvet Underground at the very least. If not, that’s your homework for the week then, to become acquainted with them.
Imagine their first album reimagined with Francophile influences. Nico recast as a French actress. Sounds good? This is L’Epee. French duo The Liminanas with Anton Newcombe and actress Emanuelle Seigner being the creative hub of the band with sundry extra musicians added for this gig at Concorde 2 on December 8th.
A large sword takes centre stage next to the drum kit at the front with African lanterns providing yellow light. A little different then. The band arrive and the stage and immediate area are bathed in white strobes simultaneously guiding us towards the band but also acting as a divide between them and us.
They are the band.
Drummer Marie Liminanas keeps a steady beat whilst wearing the biggest smile in garageland. Guitarist Lionel Liminanas pulled shapes. Guitarist Anton Newcombe was more subdued barring a brief moment of using the sword for guitar abuse. Vocalist Emmanuelle Seigner cooed and spoke/sang in equal measures whilst looking effortlessly cool.
For eighty minutes we travelled back to an alternate universe where Gainsbourg and Warhol worked together and birthed another Velvet Underground with an overt European feel.
Garage Rock meets Girl Pop with added Sixties Soundtracks too.
Soft Waves was redolent of the psych false memories of TVAM versus the bass-heavy narcolepsy of Burial.
Repetition of rhythm with occasional guitar lines drifting in and out. Vocals rendered alien by distortion. Solo acts can suffer from spinning too many plates but he kept them all up. He said he was hanging by a thread but he did more than survive.
L’Epee. The band you didn’t know you needed but do. Back to the Sixties it is then, I may be some time!
Plugged In Brighton 