The Downfall @ Joseph's Well
By Michael StrachanImodiom are a young, energetic, underskilled, 12-year-old pop punk/rock band.
OFM are a fantastic, under promoted, slack drummered, great frontmanned, beautifully written, lo-fi grunge band.
Diawara are a tight, well meaning, fret fiddling, cool looking, Hendrix inspired pumpkins covers band.
Downfall are a seemingly over-rated, but good, punk/rock/emo loving, by the numbers, 3-piece rock band.
This should have been the flyer for tonight's proceedings. But none of the bands would have admitted to it. Imodiom are older than 12. OFM won't think they are grunge but they are, and they're shit hot too. Diawara won't think they're a covers band but there are some obvious similarities. Downfall won't think they're by the numbers but they are.
First on stage is Imodiom. I seem to recall Imodiom being a cure for the shits but we'll not get into that here. They have some good little numbers and with time I'm sure they will progress into a competent outfit. No stand out songs but no real shockers means that this was a good show from the youngsters. With a little practice and a bit more definite musical direction, these guys should fair well.
Next to take the stage is OFM. "What does that stand for?" the crowd will undoubtedly not be asking. These guys look OLD! Probably only mid 20's but they look like they're Imodiom's dads. But with age comes experience and each tune leads the listener further to believe that OFM are one hell of a good band. The opener is a classic, the follower is good, the set is fantastic. If these are the only songs these guys have ever written then they must be hiding Lennon and Cobain in a closet at home. The frontman is relaxed and commanding with a great vocal intensity while the lead guitars provide great dynamics over some of the most original material I've heard in Leeds in a long time. The rhythm section are non-descript if a little slack but I cant help feeling that this is almost intentional, adding to the relaxed intensity of the material. A day in the gym wouldn't go a miss though, to make them really look the part.
Up next is Diawara, no doubt more of OFM's offspring. More 12 year olds this time with one of the best young guitarists I've seen in a long time. A competent front man with an under-rated voice keeps the time whilst the rest of the band play softly on. Image wise, these guys are spot on, bassist and drummer err on the side of cool, while both guitarists are (unintentional) geeks. The songs are pumpkins-esque but in fairness carry enough originality to make these young fellas a good prospect in their own right. Some very good songs are intertwined with some very average songs but time is on their side. I can only assume all the Diawara lads are at least 5 years the junior of OFM, a fact that can only be on their side.
To finish the night are headliners Downfall. They attract the odd listener who until now had not paid to enter the well and begin with a powerful "rock" opener. All good musicians, they only suffer from the fact that they never stop "rockin'". There are none of the dynamics that saw OFM keep the audiences attention, no "cool" image to keep the crowd entertained like Diawara, but the audience lap it up. I suppose I can see why. Some really good riffs and probably the tightest display of the evening mean that Downfall are no let down. Like OFM, though, Downfall are a band at their peak, with Diawara and Imodium promising more to come to the avid listener.
