Glassjaw - HMV Forum, London - 30/03/11

With a band such as Glassjaw, you know tonight is not going to be just another gig in the ‘big smoke’. Their different marketing techniques applied by their traditional DIY style is used to get people still listening to them and it certainly worked tonight with this sold out show. There is the possibility however that this could have been helped along with the rumour going round of a free CD at the end of the show, complete with brand new material from the band which hasn’t happened for a long 8 years. Too long in most fans eyes…

The night brought a solid and loud set, full of what you would expect from Glassjaw including the usual suspects ‘You Think Your (John Fucking Lennon)’, ‘Ape Dos Mil’, ‘Siberian Kiss’ and of course ‘Tip Your Bartender’. It did make me think, do they need this cryptic promotion style to make sure people are still interested in their band? Surely they only need to make people witness their live show and there is the proof that they still have it. Alas, this was answered with the number of professional cameras going around, either meaning a DVD or another very expensive Youtube hit. Rebecca Black watch your back…

With their musicianship second to none, it always impresses me how tight these guys are, furthermore the sound that comes out of the very small Daryl Palumbo. Screeching from the bottom of his lungs and singing parts showing his impressive range, there is no wonder why this guy is a heavy influence on a generation of bands.

What seemed to be the strangest part of the night was the encore. At this point the band walked off of the stage to a sign saying to pick our free CD up on the way out, then came back on stage to play it in its entirety; it left the crowd a little bit bemused and almost felt as if they had been cheated out of something. Walking out of the crowd to see almost upset faces was something I’ve never witnessed before. Perhaps not the way I would have done it, but then who’s to question it, they’re Glassjaw. Building their community in true DIY style and still carrying on is more than enough to impress any music lover and especially the ‘deprived’ audience.

It was surprising to me that they were being supported by metal legends Napalm Death, but these four New Yorkers are becoming nothing short of legends themselves. With a slightly odd encore, who’s to question them? You wanted more Glassjaw, you got it!