Song, by Toad

Fence Heroes – Viva Stereo

Hmm.. Viva Stereo, how to describe…? Well if you take the standard Fence Collective template then this lot pretty much do not fit in at all. Fence have been expanding their boundaries a lot recently, but these lads have been in from pretty early on, as far as I know, and they do not fit the mould in the slightest. Put simply, Fence are generally a sensitive acoustic folk bunch and this lot are a deranged party mayhem bunch.

Recorded they sound vastly different to their live shows. When we saw them for the first time at about this time last year, we were coming off a great day at Homegame having listened to a few really good groups and were loving the good vibes of the whole enterprise. In that sort of mood, and as night descended, we were prime meat for the Viva Stereo characters, and their ultra-high-octane brand of electro-disco-punk absolutely blew us away. We were euphoric disco alkies within moments, bouncing around happy as a fat old sailor balls-deep in a five dollar hooker on his half hour shore leave. We bought both their albums that night and were both so plastered that we lost them the very same evening. They were so good that Mrs. Toad spent pretty much all of Sunday in bed.

Some eight months later and I was in the Tron in central Edinburgh and Viva Stereo were the headline act once more, and I was hugely relieved to find out that it wasn’t just the drink talking – these lads are stupendous live. Much like Toad heroes iLiKETRAiNS they start out all brooding and end up going absolutely mental with guitars. Couple that with the equally impassioned charisma of front-man Rob Viva (I, er, think) and you have a group that would honestly end any night of any party with more spirit, passion, panache and sheer rock ‘n’ roll euphoria than you will find at any Glastonbury event. Imagine a crazy combination of Depeche Mode and Kasabian, add about a handful of Speed, mix with cocktails and unleash.

I still can’t reconcile their recorded stuff with their live performances though. All that furious energy is entirely under control when they make a record and you end up with a tight, subtle record of well recorded, well conceived indie. They are really multi-faceted, these fellas and I really get the impression that you have an under-utilised imagination bursting with ideas and directions and energy who simply need a big fat recording contract and plenty of cash and off they’ll go. Honestly, if the Kaiser Chiefs and those tossers from Kasabian are worth investing in, then this lot can surpass all their achievements in a single moderately enthusiastic weekend.

Viva Stereo – She Can Do No Harm This is Stereolab, surely?
Viva Stereo – Come, See the View The View? I’d rather goad a wounded tiger, thanks. Good song, though.

Both from Patterns of Behaviour, which you bloody well better purchase here.

Viva Stereo – Mercurial Til the End
Viva Stereo – Biology Imagine this played by the craziest, most angry people you have ever witnessed abusing their guitars. Then you have Viva Stereo live. In the words of Beavis & Butthead, they rock!

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