Handsome Furs, The Cooler, Friday 30th October
Bounding onto the Cooler’s stage complete with its cardboard skeletons, the husband and wife duo of Handsome Furs appear genuinely pleased to be here. It may have something to do with them escaping their accommodation for the night, a place they describe as a rundown rural “trailer park” where feral children catch mutant fish. In what is only their second ever gig outside of London, Handsome Furs may well have glimpsed a dark side of England. Perhaps though they will find inspiration in this, after all the sinister aspects of society has been something of a lyrical preoccupation on both of their albums.
The Montreal duo of Dan Boeckner, best known as lead singer with Wolf Parade, and wife Alexei Perry kick off tonight’s show with fuzzed-up synth punk. They rip through several tracks from this year’s Face Control album including Clash-esque strut of I’m Confused. Then the tension and momentum of the set builds as the songs get more complex with various layers of sound added.
Boeckner’s guitar work is impeccable, fleshing out Perry’s up-tempo drum beats and synth lines. Perry is an energetic if slightly unhinged figure, bouncing around as she dominates the synths and beats. On stage they are a sexy, hedonistic and charming couple; the melancholy and sense of doom present in their tracks is softened by the amount of fun they appear to be having. When they state these are “sad songs,” it’s almost difficult to believe them.
The slow-burn, nihilistic throb of Cannot Get Started and Sing Captain! stand out, sounding epic and brooding. By the time Handsome Furs Hate This City reaches its crescendo, the audience is left in no doubt that this band are much more than a side project, much more than husband and wife. Handsome Furs like to party, fuck and play music; the secret to a good marriage, apparently.