![Review: XFM Exposure - Casiokids w/Becoming Real & Sarah Williams White [Live]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/2/casiokids_650x400.jpeg)
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Spread the Social Love:
It’s an odd sort of night at Camden’s Barfly. Downstairs a growing cluster of football fans watch the latest Euro semi-final over pints while the show put together by XFM’s John Kennedy gets started upstairs. Chief among the highlights are Norway’s Casiokids, the Synthpop group whose reputation, by rights, has now outgrown this intimate venue, their stock rising since the release of 2010’s Topp Stemning Pä Lokal Bar and the ringing endorsement from none other than Röyksopp that came with it. There’s a good deal of buzz around their appearance as it promises a night of euphoric, body-moving dancepop in the always-roasting venue that is the Barfly.
As the evening begins, however, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. The ragtag bunch who have peeled their eyes off the football to make their way upstairs clap loudly to make their presence known for Sarah Williams White, our first act, but you can’t escape the fact that there just aren’t very many of them. Still, the band soldier on and treat the audience to some jazzy soul and smooth pop, the titular Sarah backed by keyboardist, drummer and backing singer. They’re very good and none more so than White, who possesses a warm, inviting voice and a great range. Some lovely, earthy Trip Hop and bass-driven funk round out the set nicely along with a debut of new material from an upcoming EP, due in August. The band sound great and a nice dynamic between White and her backing singer is the treat for the fans present, although it’s a shame there aren’t more of them.
Things pick up for next act Becoming Real. The skinny frame of producer Toby R bounces around a mixer-and-Mac combination and showcases his deep, funky take on House and Dubstep to the growing crowd. It’s a suitable shift into dancier territory and Becoming Real do a good job of keeping the energy up, letting the liquid melodies and subterranean basslines do the talking. Numbers like ‘Antarctic City’ and the Garagey ‘Closer’ get most people dancing or at least shuffling their feet as everyone gets warmed up for the main event.
The last of the Euro faithful have filtered upstairs and there’s a hum of anticipation – Casiokids are about to begin. They take to the stage filtered in a green, pricking light and launch into ‘Kaskaden’ from latest album Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen to cheers from an appreciative crowd. The warm synth riff cuts through the air and prompts immediate clapping and dancing. The guitar, bass, synth, drums and percussion mix wonderfully and together for this instrumental track and set an energetic pace for the rest of the set.
‘Det Haster!’ sees Ketil Kinden Endresen deliver his dreamy, delicate vocals and he sounds uniformly fantastic throughout the show, backed superbly by the subtle harmonising of guitarist Fredrik Øgreid Vogsborg. Keyboardist Omar Johnsen connects with the fans, miming out the melody to ‘Togens Hule’ and generally horsing around with crowd and fellow band members, creating a wonderful sense of fun that culminates in an audience member being pulled on stage to play guitar for a while (she doesn’t know how). The band storm through a selection of up-tempo numbers from their last two albums with a clear aim of creating a club atmosphere inside the venue. It works. Final song, the irresistibly catchy ‘Fot I Hose’ motivates an impromptu dance pit to form in front of the stage.
We even get an Olympics shout out, prefacing ‘Olympiske Leker’, and a request to scream for the future XFM listeners (no one needs much invitation). At this point I’ve completely forgotten about the match but even Casiokids don’t seem immune from the night’s other event, “What’s happening in the football?” asks Ketil. Oh well, they’ve earned it. A fantastic show tonight at the Barfly.
Tonight's set list (Casiokids):
As the evening begins, however, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. The ragtag bunch who have peeled their eyes off the football to make their way upstairs clap loudly to make their presence known for Sarah Williams White, our first act, but you can’t escape the fact that there just aren’t very many of them. Still, the band soldier on and treat the audience to some jazzy soul and smooth pop, the titular Sarah backed by keyboardist, drummer and backing singer. They’re very good and none more so than White, who possesses a warm, inviting voice and a great range. Some lovely, earthy Trip Hop and bass-driven funk round out the set nicely along with a debut of new material from an upcoming EP, due in August. The band sound great and a nice dynamic between White and her backing singer is the treat for the fans present, although it’s a shame there aren’t more of them.
Things pick up for next act Becoming Real. The skinny frame of producer Toby R bounces around a mixer-and-Mac combination and showcases his deep, funky take on House and Dubstep to the growing crowd. It’s a suitable shift into dancier territory and Becoming Real do a good job of keeping the energy up, letting the liquid melodies and subterranean basslines do the talking. Numbers like ‘Antarctic City’ and the Garagey ‘Closer’ get most people dancing or at least shuffling their feet as everyone gets warmed up for the main event.
The last of the Euro faithful have filtered upstairs and there’s a hum of anticipation – Casiokids are about to begin. They take to the stage filtered in a green, pricking light and launch into ‘Kaskaden’ from latest album Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen to cheers from an appreciative crowd. The warm synth riff cuts through the air and prompts immediate clapping and dancing. The guitar, bass, synth, drums and percussion mix wonderfully and together for this instrumental track and set an energetic pace for the rest of the set.
WATCH // Casiokids - Dresinen
‘Det Haster!’ sees Ketil Kinden Endresen deliver his dreamy, delicate vocals and he sounds uniformly fantastic throughout the show, backed superbly by the subtle harmonising of guitarist Fredrik Øgreid Vogsborg. Keyboardist Omar Johnsen connects with the fans, miming out the melody to ‘Togens Hule’ and generally horsing around with crowd and fellow band members, creating a wonderful sense of fun that culminates in an audience member being pulled on stage to play guitar for a while (she doesn’t know how). The band storm through a selection of up-tempo numbers from their last two albums with a clear aim of creating a club atmosphere inside the venue. It works. Final song, the irresistibly catchy ‘Fot I Hose’ motivates an impromptu dance pit to form in front of the stage.
We even get an Olympics shout out, prefacing ‘Olympiske Leker’, and a request to scream for the future XFM listeners (no one needs much invitation). At this point I’ve completely forgotten about the match but even Casiokids don’t seem immune from the night’s other event, “What’s happening in the football?” asks Ketil. Oh well, they’ve earned it. A fantastic show tonight at the Barfly.
Tonight's set list (Casiokids):
- Kaskaden
- Der Haster!
- Togens Hule
- Gront Lys I Alle Ledd
- Golden Years
- En Vill Hest
- Dresinen
- Olympiske Leker
- London Zoo
- Verdens Storste Land
- Finn Bikkjen
- Fot I Hose
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