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EBB + Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate

Monday 22nd July 2024

The Camden Club, London

A double bill of multifarious musical ensembles, organised by London Prog Gigs, featured London-based Prog Rockers Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate (or HOGIA to their fans), and Scottish Art/Prog rockers EBB performing uniquely idiosyncratic sets at The Camden Club, North London, a relatively new music venue on the scene located a stone’s throw from the famous Roundhouse in Chalk Farm.

Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate are Malcolm Galloway (vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer) and longtime friend Mark Gatland (bass, backing vocals, keyboards and co-producer). Apparently, the band name derives from a quote from Robert Schumann, who famously wrote a review of a Chopin piece, concluding: “Hat’s off gentlemen – a genius!” HOGIA's music is an eclectic blend of Progressive Rock with experimental and classical elements, minimalist, Metal, Folk, Funk and electronic music. They have released seven studio albums to date including ‘Invisible’ (2012), ‘When the Kill Code Fails’ (2015), ‘Broken but Still Standing’ (2017), ‘Out of Mind’ (2018), ‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ (2020), ‘The Confidence Trick’ (2022) and ‘The Light of Ancient Mistakes’ (2023). The HOGIA duo were up first, and their hour long set included a selection of songs from all seven studio albums plus a few newbies for good measure. A particular highlight for me was the Floydian sounding epic ‘Century Rain’ from the 2020 ‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ album. With the quality of their material and the virtuosic playing it was a shame that the drums were on a backing track, but despite that their set was hugely enjoyable and charmingly captivating.

Headlining the evening’s musical extravaganza was the fabulous Scottish Art/Prog rockers EBB. Originally known simply as the Erin Bennett Band they evolved into EBB around 2019 as they became more a collective of musicians. The band consists of Erin (guitars, lead vocals, trumpet), Kitty Biscuits (backing vocals, percussion, spoken word poetry), Anna Fraser (drums, percussion), Fintan McGregor aka Bad Dog (bass), Suna Dasi (backing vocals, synthesiser), Nikki Francis (Hammond organ, piano, synthesisers, saxophone, flute, clarinet) and newest recruit ‘The Cosmic Jester’ (dancer, mime). They released their debut EP ‘Death and the Maiden’ in 2019 with their debut album ‘Mad & Killing Time’ being released in 2022. Their latest EP ‘The Management of Consequences’ was released on 1st January this year.

The last time both HOGIA and EBB shared a stage was at The Prog the Forest charity gig at The Fiddlers Elbow, Camden in December 2023. Seven months on and it is clear to see that EBB have continued to develop and grow as a band with their stage visuals being even more flamboyantly ebullient!

Entering the stage the band dazzled with their colourfully radiant psychedelic attire, in contrast Erin adopted the more somber black, white and grey. Once all the band members assembled at their relative stage positions, unsuspectingly, they all froze on the spot like dummies! At that point, ‘The Cosmic Jester’ entered the stage and began adjusting the limbs and facial gestures of the frozen band! Once everyone was suitably adjusted the EBB musical feast began with the slow burn and riff festooned piece known as ‘Revenge of the Fifth’. With the band favourably loosened up it was onto the atmospherically contagious and vivaciously lively ‘Silent Saviour’ from the 2024 EP ‘The Management of Consequences’. A cornucopia of mood shifts and musical juxtapositions in three parts! Before we could catch a breath, it was straight on with a brand new song, the tenebrously brooding ‘Reason’. Indeed, a strong contender for the next album.

There is a lot going on musically with this band and it can be quite difficult to pin point their sound. A veritable mix of Heavy Space Rock meets smooth Jazz Folk meets ambitious Progressive Rock! It is very apparent that the six musicians have their own unique stylistic personalities, there is certainly an irrepressibly palpable chemistry between them and without doubt, gloriously electrifying stage presence. Kitty Biscuit adding much to the visuals with her colourful stage props, expressive dancing, bubble blowing, freaky manikin heads, and tons of ribbons, tinsel and glitter to boot! Their stage presentation appears to be subtly influenced by 80s/90s Hawkwind with elements of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The band do in fact have a long term association with Hawkwind as they have supported them on many occasions.

Next up for our delectation was the intricately intense ‘Tension’ from the ‘Mad & Killing Time’ album. A kaleidoscope of grumbling bass and elongated guitar screams bending around quirky tempo changes and convoluted time signatures coalesced in between weaving waves of synthesiser squeals and swooshes. Mind-blowing stuff indeed! Sticking with the ‘Mad & Killing Time’ album came the hauntingly slow burn of ‘Animal Said I’. A weaving pastoral backdrop set the scene before building in magnitude of intensity and gravitas. Scorchingly yearning harmonies from Erin, Suna and Kitty smouldered with angst. A blazing guitar solo from Erin weaved its magic and ascended into an undulating frenzy!

Back to the 2024 ‘The Management of Consequences’ EP for the illuminating ‘Nieu’. Intense raw and infectious! A potently heavy amalgamation of frantic hooks and grooves. Erin's vocals were unforgivingly expressive, deep and powerful. The final track from the 2024 EP, ‘Cost & Consequence’ moved proceedings into soul searching territories, A delve into the fragility of the human condition! Interspersed throughout the performance, 'The Cosmic Jester' would appear in various guises to act out a narrative, shock, bemuse and beguile in equal measures!

Another new song slipped in next called ‘No One’s Child’. An earnestly trippy little number with an insistently contagious beat that’s sure to fit nicely on the next album. The penultimate song of the mesmerisingly hypnotic set was the emotionally drenched ‘Mary Jane’ from the 2022 ‘Mad & Killing Time’ album. A dark and brooding track with feverishly strummed acoustic guitar building in tempo and verve as the story unfolded. Erin belted out the longing lyrics with heart-wrenching soul intensity!

Concluding the evening’s musical extravaganza was the ferociously savage ‘Hecate’ from the 2022 ‘Mad & Killing Time’ album. Erin’s expressively gravelly voice delivered the goods with Nikki's daintily floating piano arpeggios adding profound gravitas. Bad Dog and Anna's fervently insane rhythms anchored the track and furnished the structural dynamic. Erin's gritty spangled guitar phrases bolstered the maelstrom with tumultuous harmonies illuminating the spirited sound waves. Indeed, a thrillingly astute arrangement, and dazzlingly deft performance. Overall a euphorically mind-blowing gig pervaded with streams of intoxicating consciousness. It is fair to say that EBB raised the bar and did themselves proud.

Steven C. Gilbert

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