Low – KOKO, London 19/11/08

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It’s just past 9pm. Low take to the stage. Alan Sparhawk ushers towards the microphone. People hush down to listen in. “Hello Friends. I’d like to dedicate tonight’s show to John Peel”. The crowd break the silence and go wild. And why not. John Peel was so great, wasn’t he? I wish he was my dad. But wait, there’s more… “I’d also like to dedicate tonight’s show to the most powerful person in the world………..” (pause)

“Just play the fuckin’ music!” – a lone voice yells.

It ruins the moment. That moment, just then, is now officially gone. Alan decides it’s probably best not to compete with him and decides not to complete the sentence. Instead, they cut straight to the first song and “play the fuckin’ music”. Thank you Mr. Billy Big Bollocks. Thank you very much, you absolute cretin.

Awkwardness aside, the band open with a new Low song, with the chorus that declares “My Love Is For Free” and my gosh, it sounds utterly breath taking. There’s a lump in my throat and I’m pretty darn certain it’s not of the cancerous kind. It sounds timeless and classic and it slots in beautifully next to their other material, mostly handpicked from their brilliant last record Drums & Guns (perhaps my record of 2007 if you must know), ‘The Great Destroyer’ and ‘Trust’. Tonight is all about The Christmas Album (Mimi would confess “I’d been wanting to do this for years. It’s always my favourite record…”) although all that comes much later. Patience my friend, patience.

The music sounds so dark and sinister as Alan and Mimi’s vocals richly intertwine together. On ‘Murderer’ (“Don’t look so innocent, I’ve seen you slam your fists into the ground!”) and ‘On The Edge Of’. (“Your long filthy fingers keep jamming words down my throat”) but delivered so tenderly and affectionately like some kind of gothic lullaby. Then before they break into festive cheer, they drop probably my pet Low song in the form of ‘Walk Into The Sea’. It’s stripped down bare with Alan playing more subtle, more low-key. The words sound so fragile and resigned as he sings “Time’s the great destroyer, leaves every child a bastard. When it finally takes us over, I hope we’ll float away together”. It affects me. It’s stunning. I feel numb.

“So I’d like to dedicate this show to the most powerful person in the world………..”

Oh, here we go. Shhhhh… we’re going to find out! Who could it be?

“Michelle Obama”

Cue laughter.

Hehe.

But it’s true though… isn’t it?

Anyway, we’re half way through the evening, and enough of this slow-core malarkey. As advertised, it’s time to party: Christmas style (and yes we are totally midway through November). Ida, the support for the night, join the band, along with drummer Eric Pollard who plays with Alan in his heavy, crud and trudging stoner-rock side-project Retribution Gospel Choir, to flesh out the sound and create a fuller wall of sound. A sound which I’ve never quite experienced at a Low concert before. I’m not sure if I entirely liked it but it was certainly different. I think maybe what draws me to the group is their simple, raw delivery. The extra members almost make them sound ordinary, just like every one else. Just my two cents, but maybe because I was somewhat upset of the omission of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas (Is You)’ had something to do with it. Bah humbug!

The biggest cheer of the evening is saved when firm festive favourite ‘Just Like Christmas’ is dropped. Mimi wistfully rides through reverential bliss with her sleigh bells in hand. You can almost taste the snow of Stockholm. Later they perform the couplets from the new Christmas festive 7″. The unnerving title track, ‘Santa’s Coming Over’ sounds deliciously disturbing. “Oh what will he bring me? Will he see the cookies? All the little children. Some of them have nothing! Every one so precious! Santa don’t forget them! Santa’s Coming Over!” sung so sweetly but over distorted layered guitars and pounding primal bass drums which makes it sound like some kind of tribal pagan chant. Chilling. B-side ‘The Coming Of Jah’ is a supremely executed reggae number which heats things up and it’s all topped off when they play a true-to-original heart-warming version of ‘Merry Xmas War is Over’. The only thing missing was the choral choir full of pre-pubescent boys and lighters in the air. I can feel the overriding sense of feel good warmth radiating from the band through to the crowd and back again. I really have a craving for some mince pies and mulled wine… No idea why.

“Everything’s gonna be alright” Alan says, fist raised, before the band exit the stage. On tonight’s evidence, you’d find it hard to find some one who disagreed. Apart from Billy Big Bollocks of course….

Setlist:
Free Love
Murderer
Tonight
On the Edge Of
Sandinista
Walk into the Sea
Shots and Ladders
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One Special Gift
Just Like Christmas
Long Way Around the Sea
Little Drummer Boy
Blue Christmas
The Coming of Jah
Santa’s Coming Over
If You Were Born Today
Taking Down the Tree
Merry Xmas War is Over
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Last Snowstorm of the Year
Canada
When I Go Deaf