When Lightning Bolt began in 1994 they were so artistic they had never even heard of an album. It was only in the later 1990s that they were convinced it was a thing, by a man who did albums for a living and released one – Ride the Skies.
So convinced were they of the viability of the album as a medium, they released upwards of five, including the most recent, as in more recent than your newborn cousin Tommy, Sonic Citadel.
Lightning Bolt do sound a bit like lightning, and the corollary sound of thunder. That’s the power of Brian Chippendale’s drumsticks. Other Brian – Gibson – plays the bass. But they’re also keen on playing other forms of items and instruments. Improvising on and through things including, not limited to, cello, banjo strings, pedals from cars, pedals from guitar shops, and eponymity.
Playing live is what they’re all about. And when they do do that, they do it whilst standing in and amongst, or, more accurately, with the crowd surrounding them. Like a bunch of drunks kicking a homeless person – those living on the street are 17 times more likely to be victims of violence than the general public – there is an awful lot of thrashing about. Although their music is very aggressive, you are unlikely to meet with such ultra-violence at a Lightning Bolt gig, but you will be moved around a bit by the pushings and shovings of enthralled metal fans.
If you wanna know more about the band, they were featured in CITV documentary, The Power of Salad and you want to see them they’re playing two dates at the Underworld on’t 12th and 13th of November.
