Oneida – The Lexington, London 13/08/2011

Rarely has a line of banter so perfectly encapsulated the ethos of a band as “we’re Oneida, and this song’s in the key of ROCK!”

With a knack for combining judicious degrees of guitar-driven awesome with a refreshing lack of self-seriousness, the Brooklynites deliver a sucker punch to the senses and a severe ringing to the ears. It’s hard to pin down their exact sound, because although the songs generally fall within the “rock instrumental” category there’s a lot of variation here, but what’s consistent is their tight rhythmic sense and unyielding intensity.

Whether they’re delivering minimalist 15-minute kraut-rock odysseys, or punchy, fuzz-drenched anthems, the technical skills of all involved never fail to dazzle, with special kudos reserved for the kinetic brilliance of the legendary Kid Millions. Last seen sweating his way through a solid 12 hours of Oneida’s marathon Ocropolis show at ATP last December (a feat of endurance as yet unmatched by any artist this reviewer has ever seen), this show represents a relatively easy ride for him, but nonetheless his cacophonic and frantic dynamism remains a marvel to behold.

Yeah, it’s a shame that the gig had to be downgraded from the Scala to the smaller Lexington, but that’s more a indictment on the taste-deficiencies of London audiences rather than the band; for those who were there, Oneida were as reliably excellent (and unashamedly loud) an experience as ever.