THE KVB + DEK – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 1.2.22
Back in 2018, the rather wonderful underground coldwave duo known as The KVB announced that they were going to be returning to Brighton on 30th October in order to perform a concert at the Green Door Store. That night I was already down as going to review a rare Brighton performance by ex-Talking Head David Byrne at the Brighton Centre, what was I supposed to do?
I knew that the David Byrne performance would be a corker and was one not to be missed, but I just couldn’t do it. I tied my flag to The KVB mask and organised it for my close friend to go to the Brighton Centre instead – Read his review HERE.
Although I own Talking Heads albums, I already had amassed more releases from The KVB and instinct told me that the most intimate concert of the two would be more to my liking and thus I went nice and early to the Green Door Store. On entry that night, I spied Nicholas Wood and Kat Day (who are The KVB) and amongst other things that we discussed, I informed them of my quandary and my decision. Their reaction was a corker…..they thought I was mad! Bless them! Selling themselves short or what! – Read my 2018 review of The KVB gig that night HERE.
Wind the clocks forward 1191 days and they are back playing live in Brighton. This time around, they have only gone and sold out The Hope & Ruin. This is a far cry from my first Brighton encounter with them when they rocked on up at The Joker on 21st November 2017 – Read the review HERE.
On entry this evening at The Hope & Ruin, the poster on the inside door proclaimed that the concert upstairs was sold out. We climbed the few stairs to the first floor concert venue and obtained some liquid refreshment and watched the punters keep on entering.
First up tonight were a trio going by the name of DEK fka DREAM ENGLISH KID, who I honestly hadn’t really had time to check out beforehand. Their 28 minute set commenced at 8:06pm and consisted of a mere four compositions.
When they took to the stage, I immediately knew one of the band members but sadly couldn’t place what other band he was in. This bugged me for the whole set and on their conclusion when they were packing up I asked him. What an idiot I was! He’s only from one of my favourite new bands….Durrrrr!
It was only Liam Ogburn who is the bass player for Working Men’s Club, who I had seen live twice last November. Once in Brighton at the ‘Mutations Festival’ (review HERE) and once in Manchester at The Ritz (review HERE).
Back in 2016 Liam graduated from the University of Central Lancashire BA (hons) Music Practice course in 2016, and he later cemented his position as bass player in Working Men’s Club. He appeared with the band on BBC Two’s ‘Later … with Jools Holland’ on 30th October 2020.
Anyway, back to tonight, and Liam is again on bass duty with his distinctive six-string Squier VI instrument, as well as being on Roland synth duty. He is joined by bandmates Hannah Cobb (who I hear will also be joining Working Men’s Club) on vocals, Korg synth and saxophone, and George Cole on drum machine, Fender Telecaster guitar, and synth, who I believe has replaced Maria Toase from the band’s DREAM ENGLISH KID days. Behind them this evening there is a screen which has films and images projected onto it and looks rather impressive indeed.
Within seconds of the opening notes of their first composition, titled ‘CC’, I knew that I was seriously going to enjoy their set. The venue had already filled up rather nicely with room for only a few stragglers to attend. Thus it was very encouraging that they were to perform to a large majority of those who had purchased tickets.
The opener ‘CC’ had a modern take on something that one could imagine the Cocteau Twins crafting if they were still together today. This glorious tune morphed into their second number, ‘Pylon#1’, which was very synth laden and I loved it. It reminded me of the recent output from OMD and would have sat nicely on either of their ‘English Electric’ (2013) and ‘The Punishment of Luxury’ (2017) albums.
Next up was ‘In Alone’, which again was most enjoyable, but the trio had certainly left the best to last with the unusually titled ‘iii’, with it’s haunting North African/Arabic sounding vibe and hypnotic “Will you come back to me” vocals delivery. This tune gave me the tingles all over!
This was a set full of wonderful electronic pulses that sadly ended all too soon at 8:34pm. I really love this band and I am desperate to see them again very soon. Let’s hope that they pop back from their base in Manchester very soon. Their merch stand was thus one cassette tape lighter and I was £8.50 worse off, but a very happy man, especially as all four tunes make up the A side of the cassette! Result!
DEK are:
Hannah Cobb (synth, sax, vocals)
Liam Ogburn (bass, synth)
George Cole (drum machine, guitar, synth)
DEK setlist:
‘CC’
‘Pylon#1’
‘In Alone’
‘iii’
Find DEK on Facebook.
After a half hour break in live music it was the turn of The KVB who formed back in 2010 to grace the stage at 9:05pm in support of their new 10 tune album ‘Unity’ which dropped at the end of November. This evening they would perform half of the tracks from this new release.
As I mentioned earlier, I have several albums by this recently wed duo and I have to flag up that ‘Unity’ might just be sending the band off into a slightly more accessible direction. It is more for want of a better term, radio friendly and less durgy and thus ‘Unity’ represents an exciting development in the band’s sonic journey. With this album they might successfully be able to capture more loyal fans. It has been quoted as “their most potent and immediate record yet”. It was produced and mixed by Andy Savours (Black Country New Road, My Bloody Valentine, The Horrors) and across the album’s ten songs, The KVB masterfully pull together their trademark components; radiant guitars, textural synths and an ear for a moody, brooding melody all presented with renewed dynamism.
The initial writing sessions for the album took place in Spain in early 2019, where the duo found influence from “half built luxury villas, still unfinished from the crash in 2008. There was something eerie and beautiful about the desolate landscapes and concrete in the sunshine.” There has always been an element of dystopia through their sound, but now there is also more of a rapturous release.
Throughout the album lyrical themes combine double meanings and a sleight of hand is present; Le Corbousier’s brutalist ‘Unité d’habitation’ informs the title track and via the French-to-English translation ‘Unité’ becomes ‘Unity’ – a rallying cry to totality on the dancefloor. ‘Unbound’ is informed by the classic shoegaze stylings of Slowdive and Ride but also late-modern poet Keston Sutherland and the idea of recreating a special moment lost to the past . Beginning with a blast of electronic drums, lead single ‘World On Fire’ instantly kicks in with a euphoric blend of guitars and synths beneath Nicholas Wood’s and Kat Day’s breathy-yet-powerful vocal duet. Second single ‘Unité’ is built around a pulsing synth arpeggio that wouldn’t sound out of place on Kraftwerk’s ‘Trans Europe Express’, but is augmented by detached, deadpan vocals and dream-pop sonics.
The equipment on offer this evening is a Sequential Take 5 synthesiser, Dave Smith OB6 Keyboard 6-voice synthesiser, Apple Mac and a Fender guitar. Nicholas and Kat share the vocal duties. We are gifted no less than 13 tunes from the past decade during their 56 minute set, also including projections behind the band which accompanied the music.
The venue is tightly packed and The KVB begin with two numbers from their new ‘Unity’ release, ‘Sunrise Over Concrete’ and ‘World On Fire’. My colleague notes an early Roxy Music Brian Eno vibe going down in amongst the swirling synth sounds. The third number is the oldest of the night and that was the pleasantly chugging beat of 2012’s ‘Always Then’.
They return to ‘Unity’ and plunder the early Numanesque sounding corker that is the hypnotically beautiful ‘Blind’, which is then followed by new addition to the touring set, namely 2018’s ‘On My Skin’ from their ‘Only Now Forever’ album. Mid to late 1980’s New Order sprang to mind during this number.
The haunting melodies of 2016’s ‘White Walls’ and ‘Awake’ from their ‘Of Desire’ album are given an airing next. Arguably their finest moment followed when the duo made me tingle all over for the second time this evening when they performed ‘Unbound’ from the ‘Unity’ album. This sounded very much akin to the current output that OMD have been releasing and I enjoyed the accompanying ‘sound mirrors’ video behind them. This is most definitely a step in the right direction!
We were back with the ‘Of Desire’ album again next when they performed ‘Never Enough’ with it’s pseudo ‘Nightclubbing’ (The Human League 1980 cover of Iggy Pop’s 1977 tune) backbeat. I noted that during this tune that Kat was certainly getting the vibe as she swivelled her high heeled left ankle and rotated her shoulder forwards to the beat as several synth band ladies tend to do. It’s very alluring.
The only tune performed from their 2014 ‘Out Of Body’ EP, ‘From Afar’ took us on a walk through the woods in the accompanying film to a pounding electronic beat. ‘Above Us’, the opener from 2018’s ‘Only Now Forever’ album was lovingly delivered with it’s ‘TVOD’ (The Normal) vs Sigue Sigue Sputnik booming synth and drum machine beat.
The penultimate number was ‘Unité’ which was accompanied by a rather decent ‘Linear Industrial City’ video. They concluded with Kat’s favourite KVB tune in the form of ‘Dayzed’ (found on 2013 ‘Immaterial Visions’ album) which certainly has a Dr Who style beat going down. At times both myself and my colleague were astounded that so much noise and power is the work of just two people. Thus they ended their set at 10:01pm and we formed a busy queue at the merch stand and they kindly relieve me of £30 and in return I purchased a signed copy of the new ‘Unity’ album on CD for the car and a vinyl copy of their 2021 ‘The Early Tapes’ release.
It was a truly marvellous night out and was musically the best concert of the year so far! Looking forward to seeing The KVB in the nor too distant future, one hopes!
The KVB setlist:
‘Sunrise Over Concrete’ (found on 2021 ‘Unity’ album)
‘World On Fire’ (found on 2021 ‘Unity’ album)
‘Always Then’ (found on 2012 ‘Always Then’ album)
‘Blind’ (found on 2021 ‘Unity’ album)
‘On My Skin’ (found on 2018 ‘Only Now Forever’ album)
‘White Walls’ (found on 2016 ‘Of Desire’ album)
‘Awake’ (found on 2016 ‘Of Desire’ album)
‘Unbound’ (found on 2021 ‘Unity’ album)
‘Never Enough’ (found on 2016 ‘Of Desire’ album)
‘From Afar’ (found on 2014 ‘Out Of Body’ EP)
‘Above Us’ (found on 2018 ‘Only Now Forever’ album)
‘Unité’ (found on 2021 ‘Unity’ album)
‘Dayzed’ (found on 2013 ‘Immaterial Visions’ album)
You may wish to do yourself a massive favour and check out The KVB releases here: thekvb.bandcamp.com
For more information on the band, visit their website: www.thekvb.co.uk
Excellent review Nick and great photos by Sara-Louise (I was the other person there taking photos). I’ve seen The KVB every time they`ve played Brighton, the first time back in 2013 at The Green Door Store supporting Tamaryn and they get better and better each time I see them. This gig was no exception. oh and DEK were fantastic too.
Thank you very much Ade.