Technicality and emotion are not exactly something that you would deem would go hand in hand. Making their UK debut this July at the fast growing Tech Fest, for those who were there Agent Fresco were an undoubtable highlight of the fast growing festival. With the release of new album Destrier behind them the band embark on their first UK headline tour however before we can get back to our favourite Icelandic bunch we were able to pay heed to some fantastic up and coming bands tonight.
[date]25th November 2015[/date]
[venue]Dingwalls[/venue]
[city]London, Camden Town[/city]
[support_bands]Sumer, Delta Sleep[/support_bands]
Opening the evening we see Sumer hit the stage, normally a fairly sparse first act is instead seeing Camden’s Dingwalls quickly fill up after the very long winded security check. Nevertheless the band perform admirably, once again another child borne from Tech Fest Sumer are fast becoming a name in the modern day of Metal and tonight the band are performing well acting as a perfect amuse bouche for our later acts.
Admitting that I had not heard Delta Sleep beforehand makes this review seem all the more honest. Taking to the stage we saw the young band perform an eclectic set. Bringing together instrumental sections that would whisk the audience off after being grounded back by our singer the band were a fantastic beginning before our headline act. Melding elements of classic funk, post rock and even in some cases flurries of Jazz the young quartet seem to be ticking all the right boxes tonight.
No doubt not strangers to working the stage the band delivered confident renditions of material old and new with Dingwalls becoming ever more packed. Melding a style similar to that of a progressive nature yet with the sprinkling of post rock the band worked well within the context of both the previous act as well as the headliners of the night.
As the morse code like flicker of the torch brings us all to the moment we have been waiting for, members of the modest Agent Fresco trickle out from behind the incredibly small stage. Viewing the band in such an intimate setting makes for their emotionally charged material to truly dig its claws in. Opening with A Long Time Listening Number the band move into new single “Howls” seeing the kinetic energy the band muster expelled as frontman Arnor Dan Arnorson temporarily leaps forward into the crowd making way for the beautiful chorus. A strange paradox the band work simultaneously with and against each other, with guitarist Toti covering the stationary musical side of things bassist Vignir and Arnor are constantly moving working their way through tracks like “Pyre” giving a sense of slight unexpected when raw emotion is summoned makes it all the more honest.
Tracks like “Wait For Me” are beautifully performed with a level of emotion impossible to be faked. Slowly carving a niche out in everyone’s hearts tonight, Agent Fesco are absolutely untouchable. Sound coming through pitche perfect despite the smaller stage setting the band make full use of the closer knit surroundings to make for some absolutely heartfelt singalongs, particularly the heart wrenching “Implosions“. Yet herein lies the beauty of tonight’s performance. Artistically portraying sadness in a lyrical sense the feelings that are felt tonight are ones of humility. With many a fan no doubt being a friendly face from their July debut.
The kind of performance that not only set the band’s hairs raised but everyone in the room feeling simultaneously together. Sharing in the singers past woes in the light of the bad there is good. Moving into the final section of the night the shy yet charismatic Arnor introduces the last song, dealing with the passing of his father, “Eyes Of A Cloudcatcher“. Creating a a perfect snapshot of just what the band do best. Pulling at the crowds heartstrings the sense of togetherness felt in the small venue is profound. The brief flash in the pan of anger shown in “Angst” temporarily bares the band’s teeth, moving into final “Autumn Red” which see’s the band Prog out with a slightly extended riff section.
Particularly with the current state of the Metal community a show like this is exactly the cure that we need. Harnessing raw emotion but dividing out amongst the crowd tonight the band are simply beautiful. Hard to believe that this is the band’s first ever UK headline performance with not only the amount people but the amount of love shown in the room for these Icelandic soul searchers. 2016 will no doubt bring the band into even greater pastures and with a performance like tonight’s I would implore that the world be listening, we might all learn a thing or two.
