MODEL/ACTRIZ + EBBB – CLUB REVENGE, BRIGHTON 10.11.23
There are so many personal contenders for album of the year for me in 2023: art punkers Geese with their ‘3D Country’ album made quite an impact for me, as did Squid’s new ‘O Monolith’. New releases from Swans, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, as well as gorgeous posthumous albums from Arthur Russell and Sparklehorse. Ultimately, however, there is only one album that, so far, has trumped all of that for me, and that’s the album ‘Dogsbody’ by New York-based dance-punk warriors, Model/Actriz. Sonically, these guys bring forward a stunningly intense blend of harsh guitar and bass mutations, mechanical drums and dark, deprecating vocals and lyrical diatribes. Fronted by vocalist Cole Haden and comprising of drummer Ruben Radlauer, guitarist Jack Wetmore and bassist Aaron Shapiro, Model/Actriz have enjoyed a sonic exploration through three EPs between 2016: ‘100€’, ‘AVA’, and ‘No’, as well as two 2020 singles that began to solidify their dance-punk and no wave aesthetics (‘Suntan’ and ‘Damocles’). However, it took until ‘Dogsbody’ for them to hit the proverbial nail on the head, with singles like ‘Mosquito’ and ‘Crossing Guard’ being high on my list for songs of the year based on their cascading noise and rhythms, as well as Cole’s nightmare-inducing songwriting.
Myself and my good friend Ben managed to catch them on the seventh and final date of the European leg of their tour supporting ‘Dogsbody’, at Brighton’s iconic Club Revenge. Our first time here (neither of us are prolific clubbers), we were amazed at the stage layout, comparing it to a tighter version of Chalk just up the road. Our respective drinks of beer and orange juice in hand (not in the same glass), we patiently awaited the support act, simply known as Ebbb. Backed with extremely scant information about this artist, we were intrigued as to just what we were in for…! Meekly and quietly, a trio of individuals approached the club stage, one composing himself behind a drum kit, another behind a laptop packed with synths, and the last one towering over us from his microphone. Weighty and ominous chanting, layered with synth drones, colour the room, with vocalist Will giving us a vocal line more melodic than expected for such a dark sound…! The rumbling sub-bass floods the audience, with the hairs on my head standing to attention because of it. Following the entrance of a foreboding, galloping drum groove, my mind turned to my experience of catching experimental rock group Avalanche Kaito live some months ago and just how off-guard I was thrown.
That rumbling drum texture becomes a prominent component on many an Ebbb performance here, particularly on the next track where the almost majestic synth ambience from Lev acts as its emotional antithesis. Between Scott’s drumming and Lev’s synths, there is a lot of tension and release that is pulled off quite well. The track ‘Falling’ reminds one of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ in the sense that this back and forth between emotional synth and vocal passages and erratically tense drumming makes for, not only a great song structure, but also a fantastic dynamic awareness. Honestly, at this point in the set, even knowing so little about these guys, it’s plainly obvious that they are a great fit to open for a band like Model/Actriz. The track ‘Giant’ makes use of a lot more irregular drum patterns, almost stretching into black midi’s Morgan Simpson territory with a very free and loose style of performance from Scott. My personal favourite song of the set, entitled ‘Not Enough’, features a repeating vocal mantra of “I’m not enough, I’m not enough” through a vocoded backing track, with an almost spaceless instrumental presence backing it. Will also provides us with some hauntingly beautiful harmonies, reminiscent to that of Animal Collective member Panda Bear’s solo material. In the absence of any crowd interaction between songs, the boys at Ebbb bring us straight into the song ‘Chords’, with an oddly-swung 4/4 groove and a stern-faced falsetto from Will. Here, you can feel the sub-bass beginning to pierce into you, in the best way possible, as Will begins to let himself go a lot more in his performance stature towards the end.
The peculiarly-titled ‘22222’ features an almost brass-like synth pattern, with a rhythm that makes me feel like I’m going 150mph on a train with no return. Even with a more conventional vocal passage within this song, these guys have basically been going non-stop from the start! ‘Torn’ sees Scott locked in and focused within his groove, while Lev is at his most energetic behind his laptop. It’s incredible how the rhythms and synths are so nightmarish, and yet Will’s vocals are so serene… and then comes the tempo change! The galloping rhythms go into overdrive and glitching vocal samples begin to colour the sound, taking my mind to the sounds of Death Grips and Crystal Castles. If this song wasn’t intense enough, then ‘Moving On’ tops it, with marching snares and an incredible break into a dance groove you could hear in the club to end all clubs! Closing off the set is the track ‘Eyes’, complete with turbulent synth voices and a dancehall-esque drum pattern. Oddly enough, this track is possibly the calmest song of the set… actually, I take that back, the dynamics starts to rise towards the end of the track as the drums lose their patience and go haywire! What a monumental way to kick off the night!
Ebbb setlist:
(unknown)
(unknown)
‘Falling’
(unknown)
‘Giant’
‘Not Enough’
‘Chords’
‘22222’
‘Torn’
‘Moving On’
‘Eyes’
www.instagram.com/ebbbbbbbbbbbbb
As the crowd began to disperse for a brief break of drinks and whatnot, myself and Ben waited eager with anticipation for Model/Actriz to take the stage. I had introduced him to the band’s single ‘Crossing Guard’ several months prior to the gig and with his taste in music centering around artists such as John Mayer, Vulfpeck and Joe Bonamassa, I was amazed to hear that he enjoyed a song from a band whose sound palate is as dark and intense as you can get. A couple minutes past half 8, the lights come down slowly as the crowd cheers on the arrival of the quartet. Now, it’s worth noting that while ‘Dogsbody’ has been on repeat since its release in February, I had only seen the face of vocalist Cole Haden from watching the music video to ‘Crossing Guard’, so I was amazed to see the other band members of a considerably older age than expected (I anticipated an age group similar to that of bands like Black Country New Road, or black midi…), nevertheless, the trio of instrumentalists behind Cole look as intimidating as the music sounds. Cole presents himself to the front of the stage, adorned in a dazzling turquoise and sequin attire, cape and all! As drummer Ruben blows bubbles towards the crowd, the prickly guitar plucking and droning ambience that opens the song ‘Donkey Show’ comes into play. A moody introduction to both the show and the album, the atmosphere quickly heightens towards Ruben’s pounding drum grooves and a growling bass from Aaron that counteracts Jack’s screeching guitars. It honestly feels illegal knowing what these guys look like in the flesh after listening to their music constantly throughout the year, but here we go…!
Anyone who knows Model/Actriz well enough will be familiar with their astonishing track ‘Mosquito’, a fast-paced, hellish ride into the dance-punk abyss, with Cole’s opening polymetric “I want this life” mantra infectiously catchy to chant along to! Ah yes, the moshing has now started…! Moshing has never been something I actively look to join when attending gigs as previous experiences watching CLT DRP, Dingus Khan and Royal Blood have proved. However, when attending a Model/Actriz show, it really isn’t an offer you can decline! The vigorous chorus line of “with a body count higher than a mosquito” sweeping from the mouths of audience members, being pummelled at this show is not that much of a bad thing…! After describing his enjoyment of Brighton’s beach, pier, and fish and chips, likening it to a honeymoon, Cole is aided into the audience by my good self as the band enter the song ‘Matador’. A slightly slower groove compared to ‘Mosquito’, the scissor-snipping sounds of the guitar and stabbing drum patterns give way to sliding basslines and the flailing of attendees, to everyone’s enjoyment.
The claustrophobic emotions of Model/Actriz’ music reach epic highs on the song ‘Amaranth’, with a syncopated intro that finally becomes clear live after completely misstepping it on every listen I’ve given it beforehand! A mutant disco rhythm and inhuman flickering guitars and bass take us by the throat, not seeming to let go anytime soon. By this point, Cole has spent most of his time in the crowd, crawling against the club walls and slow dancing with random audience members, an apparent tradition at Model/Actriz performances. Now, the moment myself and Ben had been waiting for: the one-two punch of the songs ‘Crossing Guard’ and ‘Slate’, suitably conjoined live as they appear on ‘Dogsbody’. The former, with its almost synthesiser-emulating bassline and refrain of “Linen! Wire! Cloth! Steel!” saw the audience at their most vocal, while the latter’s demented guitar tones and jerky drum rhythms are groovy, yet chilling to the bones!
The track ‘Maria’ maintains a similar groove and tempo to the previous two songs, however, a more conventional bassline and screeching guitar tones under the majestic, yet tortured lyrics of “I am not the man for him!” distinguishes itself expertly. A leftover track from ‘Dogsbody’, released independently in September, ‘Winnipesaukee’ is, by far, the slowest cut of the set, led by Ruben’s ride cymbal, like a piece of industrial slowcore. After a brief moment being back on-stage, Cole is now back in the pit, this time, dancing around a mic stand that had been brought with him. The following two tracks, both of which come from the band’s 2017 ‘No’ EP, were fresh material to my ears, so hearing them at this show was quite the exhilaration…! The first of which was the song ‘Liar’, opening with chiming guitar and Cole making use of the lower range of his voice, entering bass levels. Ruben’s rhythms on this track were quite astounding due to the lack of snare usage, instead making use of the hi-hat in an effectively hard-hitting fashion! ‘New Face’, on the other hand, features jittery rhythmic patterns and Aaron detuning up and down his low E string as a unique musical prerogative with a fantastic climax to boot.
While part of me wishes the set were to end on ‘Mosquito’ (or better yet, the slow-burning ‘Sun In’ which closes the ‘Dogsbody’ album), the final track ‘Pure Mode’ brings us all down into the Model/Actriz wormhole, from which none of us in the audience wanted to leave. Rhythmically, the song sways around with provocative intent, as sextupling hi-hats bring Cole’s vocals into forward march. With every repeating chorus of “Oh bitch I might/oh saints I might enter into my pure mode”, the audience’s moshing and head-banging feels like it’s treasuring each rhythmic propulsion that comes around, not wanting the show to end. But, alas, it does. The crowd scatters away in various directions, whether it’s toward the exit to head home, the bar for one final drink, or the merch table. I, myself, opted for all three, in reverse order! Copping a lovely 90s-esque Model/Actriz t-shirt after nabbing a setlist from the stage, I greet Cole and thank him for an utterly incredible show and for making one of the best albums I’ve heard all year.
Model/Actriz setlist:
‘Donkey Show’
‘Mosquito’
‘Matador’
‘Amaranth’
‘Crossing Guard’
‘Slate’
‘Maria’
‘Winnipesaukee’
‘Liar’
‘New Face’
‘Pure Mode’
The ‘Dogsbody’ album can be purchased HERE and HERE.
