Npcede at Phoenix Central Park, all photographs by Brontë Godden
Npcede performed at Phoenix Central Park, on Gadigal land, on Thursday 8 May.
“I didn’t expect gabber,” said my plus one, two songs into watching Npcede at Phoenix Central Park. By this point, the Melbourne/Naarm trio had more than justified the “high impact” warning that preceded their performance.
There were elements of gabber – the brute force, distorted offshoot of techno – as well as the bleak, machine-like noise of industrial music, a touch of EBM, and a few moments that sounded suspiciously like nu metal. It was macho, angry, and at all moments hot-blooded. The sonic intensity eased a bit after the opening barrage of fast tempos and harsh noise, but the affect was no less sinister.
The room stayed dark for the majority of the show. The band’s three members were intermittently isolated under a spotlight, and flashing red lights created horror movie-like silhouettes on Phoenix’s banneton basket walls and ceiling.
Electronics operator, Zac Hellyer, had Ableton open on his laptop and was also in charge of the mixing desk. He jumped on Phoenix’s grand piano for a couple of songs, including show highlight “Hear Them,” the opening track on Npcede’s debut EP. “Hear Them” balances the band’s fondness for bowel-moving electronics with heartfelt songcraft. It was the one song in which Victor Moore sang rather than barked.
The show ended with another attack of fierce noise before Victor marched off stage like a perennially hostile frontperson. His brother, bass player Roy Moore, jumped on the mic to say thank you, breaking the fourth wall for the first time all night. Roy and Zac embraced and called Victor back to join them.
They were convincingly abject throughout the show, but as they took a bow in front of Phoenix’s grateful audience, the trio looked thrilled.
Npcede at Phoenix Central Park by Brontë Godden (click images to expand)
