Fat Dog Live Review by Ryan Beardsley
Who are the most exciting live band in the UK right now? I’d been told it was Fat Dog. I’d been told right. Not far from the South London groups’ origins in Kentish Town, it’s a riotous homecoming show to round off the tour to promote their much lauded debut; WOOF.
Kicking off with Vigilante, the crowd is instantly whipped into a frenzy by frontman Joe Love who is clearly relishing what is their biggest-ever show and they don’t intend to waste it. Breakout hit King of the Slugs is an epic, unhinged spectacle, perfectly capturing their wild, Frankenstein mash-up of genres, techno meets punk with a bit of madness-esque ska thrown in at the end, they could certainly never be accused of being boring.
The show is very much a joint effort between the band and the crowd, from the first blast of the night, there’s an emotional investment in the band that is always a joy to witness. The show never lets up from that first breath, perhaps best summed up by a now trademark cover of 2002 electro house pioneer Benny Benassi’s Satisfaction (you’d know it if you heard it) Again, it shouldn’t really work but it totally does.
It’s a constant battle between the silly and the sublime, personified by drummer Johnny Doghead Hutch, aptly named for his latex alsatian mask that never leaves his head, but it quickly subverts to another direction with the clear metal influence, particularly in Joe Love’s vocals, it’s an easy comparison but the NiN affection is clear, and that’s no bad thing.
Closer to God, Peace Song and I Am The King all hit the mark for an audience who chant along to every word spoken by Love but with the size of the venue, there’s got to be some other first timers who will be leaving the show as the latest dedicated converts.
The hedonistic atmosphere reaches pandemonium with the stomping, blaring, paranoia-infused single Running, rounding things off with a crowd so frenetic I think the roof might blow off the Kentish Town Forum, but not quite.
Everything they do tonight translates from the enclosed venues like the Windmill where they came up and didn’t get lost on the bigger stage, which is a relief. In fact, it only makes the future for the band more exciting as it’s likely they’ll be gracing much grander stages in next summer’s festival season, it’s going to be a lot of fun.
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