Gig Reviews: Ghost In The Static, Cellar Bar, Bracknell, 4/4/10

by Leon

If you love electro and industrial metal (think Rammstein meets Nine Inch Nails), I may have found your new favourite local band. Tonight Ghost In The Static took the stage in the intimate surroundings of South Hill Park's Cellar Bar with an aura of anticipation emanating from the gathered crowd, before launching us into a fantastically epic musical journey.

An interesting thing to note about this band is the lack of a drummer – this position being taken by an Ipod carrying pre-programmed drum loops, synths and effects. While some muso purists may prefer 'organic' live drums, the use of what is effectively a non-human element proves to be highly effective in conjuring up the kind of super-tight, consistent drum patterns and wacky sound effects synonymous with Ghost In The Static's chosen genre. And it is this 'Ghost', as the band refer to it, that begins the set perfectly, setting up a bleak effect-laden atmosphere of desolation before being joined by the full band.

And **** me, do you know about it when the band comes in! These guys have clearly done their ground work, matching 'The Ghost' in terms of tightness and brutality. The whole set is fantastically paced, giving the genuine feeling of constant progression, of the aforementioned musical journey. You can't help but move to the music, with the crowd headbanging and dancing in equal measure. Sure, there are a few moments which fall short of perfection, but this is a band determined to entertain, and they deliver that entertainment in spades. Their sound fills the intimate space of the Cellar Bar with raucous energy, moving the crowd to the point of screaming for an encore after The Ghost brings the set to a close. And yes, the audience got their encore!

All in all this was, to say the least, a brilliantly enjoyable musical experience. This is, however, not a band that should be confined to a small venue – their Myspace page (available here) hints at their plan to incorporate cinematic elements into their performances – a concept that surely requires bigger venues, not to mention bigger stages! And to get there, these guys need as much support as they can get. So check them out, tell your friends, get down to their gigs, buy their stuff, and help them get to where they need, and surely deserve, to be.

Thanks for reading!

Leon