AWOL
FIGMO are no strangers to us, we sporadically cross paths with them every now and then and they always manage to put a smile on our faces and usually impress us one way or another with their old school metal. Tonight they get one of the larger crowds at Jabez Clegg’s In The City fringe event (although large in this case means 30 punters instead of 10).
Alas the old metalled up Black Beauty intro has gone, which is a shame but I suppose it had run it’s course. Apparently bassist Jay was hit by a car two days earlier but he shows no ill effects as he leaps off a speaker during the first song. FIGMO are all big hair and big performances and the added dimension of keyboards from the always entertaining Lenny allows them to go the places that your average metal band just can’t reach. They play a few new songs tonight and even ask for a conga during one of them, what’s even more remarkable is that they get one!
It’s not all good tonight though, the sound on a couple of the songs is atrocious, ‘Bitch Hiker’ in particular suffers with the guitars being way too down in the mix and it spoils what is probably the best song. There also doesn’t seem to be much interplay between the two guitarists (Steve & Pete), which is one of the things that first made us take notice of the band. The last song ‘FIGMO’ ensures they finish strongly but overall there’s something lacking, they don’t take off quite as much as they usually do, not that this seems to bother their little goblin like super fan who always seems to be in attendance. Entertaining to watch but we’ve seen them do much better.