By: Andy Little
My Sleeping Karma | website | facebook | twitter |
Support: Greenleaf | website and Mammoth Mammoth | website
The Garage, London | February 19, 2016
The sixth Up In Smoke tour package is a Napalm Records showcase. Headlining is Germany’s psychedelic/stoner/progressive instrumental vibes of My Sleeping Karma while in tow are Swedish retro stoner rockers Greenleaf and Australia’s no-nonsense desert rockers Mammoth Mammoth. The above line up should provide a variation of styles to what should be a night of entertaining heavyweight rocking at the Garage in North London.
Given the responsibility to kick start proceedings is Melbourne’s Mammoth Mammoth. Appearances are not deceptive, looking like they have walked off the set of the first Mad Max film, no doubt smelling of grease and gasoline, is bolstered by their no-nonsense dirty lowdown beefy brand of solid fuelled hard rock. Drinking in the same bar as Bon Scott era AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, forget subtlety, they deliver their set with undeniable commitment to the rocking cause. As shown when the tension slightly lifted when vocalist Mikey Tucker’s mingle with the crowd was met with over zealous manly bear hugs from one particular rocker, somehow the singing continued despite the unwanted spacial intrusions, left untarnished M.M. delivered large slabs of fun.
With their 6th album Rise Above The Meadow (an impressive gatefold sleeve accompanies the vinyl version) about to be released imminently Greenleaf take to the stage fully aware of the good response from the expanded crowd, so reply in turn brimming with confidence and focused rocking desire. On the back of supporting the mighty Clutch on their most recent European tour they are significantly tight and have a sound to give them justice. A set mainly pulled from their Trails and Passes album opens with the said title track. Two newies ‘A Million Fire Flies’ and ‘Tyrants Tongue’ are given an air and reflect the 6th album’s vigorously directed heaviness, but still maintains their melodic pulse. An unnecessary diversion in the middle of the set for a slower bluesy number and an instrumental jam curtails the intensity briefly before re-galvanising culminating with a spellbinding, crowd pleasing, ‘Open Your Eyes’ to end the set.
On the surface My Sleeping Karma’s slow burning instrumentals may diffuse the tempo and atmosphere, but on the contrary. Each song melts and merges into another, but never fails to captivate and absorb the listener, delivering expert loud, quiet, moments to perfected timing, the kaleidoscopic sound waves is also supported by various screen images of a psychedelic and spiritual nature. The melodic finger picking by guitarist Seppi builds each time to glorious bouts of climatic intensity. The tone may have changed but My Sleeping Karma deliver an immense set.
The many faceted styles of rock on the Napalm Records roster were in the shop window tonight. Mammoth Mammoth’s tales of rock n roll outlawry to the spiritual mediation of My Sleeping Karma, a kind of before, and after, spell of rehab captured in a three hour endorsement of rock’s destructive and redemptive powers. The sixth Up In Smoke road tour delivers on many levels to start the weekend off with heart- warming possibilities.
