Getting To Know You
King Nun
From: London Band Members: Theo Polyzoides (vocals), Caius Stockley (drums), James Upton (guitar), Nathan Gane (bass) Key Track: ‘Hung Around’ For Fans Of: Jack White, Supergrass They Say: “We all have a desperate need to communicate as much as possible as quickly as possible. We want to make a lasting connection with as much power and intensity as we can” - Theo
Caius needed a drink to prepare for his annual birthday wash.
I
NOTTINGHAM
f Superfood are feeling slightly worse for wear the next morning – although, let it be noted, they’re on their version of best behaviour on this tour (Dom confirms, “If this was the first album, we’d be out ‘til 6am every night getting fucked up, but we’re taking it more seriously this time”) - then King Nun are on perky form. It’s drummer Caius’ 20th birthday and spirits are running high. The two support bands, who’ve been alternating spots on the bill each night to keep it fair, have spent a solid two weeks tucked up in the same tiny van together and are now two halves of the same whole. In celebration of this beautiful new union, Pale Waves’ male contingent – guitarist Hugo and bassist Charlie – present the birthday boy with half an avocado with a candle stuck in it. A true treat, you’ll agree. Despite a slightly quieter crowd, possibly due to Circa Waves stealing the indie kids away to their show next door, King Nun still howl their way through a set of twitchy, excitable future anthems like they’re headlining the O2. Singer Theo hops and goose steps his way around the stage like he’s just been given a shot of e-numbers straight into the eyeball, while his bandmates whip up the kind of direct, no nonsense howls that veer between White Stripes stomps and wonky Blur-isms. Pale Waves’ charms, meanwhile, are of an altogether slicker variety. Taken under the wing of The 1975 and soon to grace the stage of the world-famous Madison Square Garden in support, they’re a band whose natural presence far exceeds their junior years. In singer Heather Baron-Gracie’s dead-eyed stares and puppet-arm gestures, they’ve got a frontwoman who’s part Matt Healy, part Robert Smith. Which, frankly, sounds like quite the recipe for success.
62
diymag.com
Backstage in Superfood HQ and Dom is attempting to revive the group’s somewhat flagging energy levels with a homemade concoction of mashed up banana mixed into a cup of scalding coffee. If the sound of it is unappealing, then the look – essentially, not to sugar coat things, something resembling a cup of human vomit – is significantly worse. “I could have just had a cup of coffee and eaten a banana,” he muses sadly, after gallantly attempting to swallow a bit of the mixture. It seems to do the trick, however, and on they march to the stage. As well as re-worked versions of the oldies, Superfood have been adding four newies (including ‘Double Dutch’) into the mix on this tour. Earlier in the day, Ryan touched on what they wanted to change about the first record: “When we got together, we wanted to make something that was like Beck or Gorillaz,” he explained. “But we slipped into this comfortable scenario of guitars, bass and drums instead of doing what we set out to do.” With the new songs, it’s clear they’re much closer to this original vision. ‘I Can’t See’ is a warm, soulful thing with an almost reggae lilt. All honeyed harmonies it’s one to keep your heart nice and toasty. ‘Natural Superstar’, meanwhile, ups the funk, pitting falsetto vocals with some Princeloving sass, while ‘Where’s The Bass Amp?’ is built around a sample from Ronald Russel’s 1968 tune ‘Rythm Hips’. Somewhere between the aforementioned Beck and Deee-Lite’s ‘Groove Is In The Heart’, it’s a ridiculously fun romp through everything that Superfood always threatened to be able to produce.