Live Review: The Drones, Batpiss

Batpiss are loud, obnoxious and fun. Their songs are built around monotonous, thumping basslines, screaming lyrics and guitar riffs that make you want to break things. Earplugs are necessary. Guitarist Paul Portal has a suitable 'Zero Fucks Given' attitude, smoking a ciggie and spitting on stage. The band don't allow dead sound between songs, instead opting for ethereal, distorted soundscapes as they tune up. Lead singer and bassist Thomy Sloane remarks at one stage, "When you call yourself Batpiss, you never expect to play in a pretty place like [Forum Theatre]," and he has a point. It would be great to see them in a small, dingy room with sticky carpet and just let some aggression out. Seeing them in the cavernous space of Forum Theatre, surrounded by beard-strokers, is frustrating.

The Drones celebrate the ten-year anniversary of their album Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By. Lead singer, Gareth Liddiard is joined on stage with bassist Fiona Kitschin, guitarist Dan Luscombe, pianist Steve Hesketh and drummer Christian Strybosch (who replaces Mike Noga). Opening with Shark Fin Blues, the most striking difference is Strybosch's scalp glistening under the lights instead of Noga's mop of hair. However, these trivialities aside, the band establishes quickly that they are not going to disappoint. The tracks are tight and haunting. Baby, The Best You Can Believe In and Locust follow the opening track, making everyone believe that they are going to play the album from start to finish until they deviate to The Freedom In The Loot.

As the set progresses, the band relax and Liddiard improvises more with his guitar and vocals. It's surprising that he is still able to screech so well. This Time is suitably epic and Sitting On The Edge Of The Bed Cryin' is suitably introspective. The band strut back on stage for the inevitable encore, swigging from a shared bottle of whisky. Just before launching into a cover of Kev Carmody's River Of Tears, Liddiard relents, returning a wry, "I love you too, mate," to a shouted, "I love you, Gareth!" Yellow and blue lights create an electric atmosphere as the band slowly build to the track's cathartic climax. For the final song of the gig, Batpiss are invited back on stage to join The Drones for a cover of one of grunge forefathers Wipers' tracks. It unfortunately falls a little flat as Wipers fans seem few and far between.

The house lights and venue sound system come on and everyone negotiates the crushed cans, plastic cups and gridlock to get back out onto the street.