SikTh / Devil Sold His Soul / Press To MECO (Live Review – Koko, London, December 8 2017)
Last night, Koko hosted one of the shows of the year.
In recent years, Press To MECO (85%) have earned much respect thanks to their ability to pen complex yet accessible rock songs. They’re one of the best bands to do so since Reuben – and they made the most of this opening slot, throwing new beatdown-boasting song A Quick Fix among established tunes such as Manipulate and Affinity. Press To MECO are a joy to listen to, a band with a voice of their own, and ones to watch in 2018.
Devil Sold His Soul (90%) have had an epic 2017, celebrating the ten-year anniversary of their debut album A Fragile Hope and topping it all off with a heartily-received set at Koko. Opening with Devastator was a winning choice – it’s my personal favourite DSHS track, as well as the song that got me into them in the first place. In second place was always Time, which never fails to make me nostalgic.
Since SikTh (100%) were set to play their 2006 classic Death Of A Dead Day in full, a nostalgia trip felt appropriate – but really, this show was all about the here and now. Press To MECO represent bright young hopes for the near future; time hasn’t softened Devil Sold His Soul; and SikTh are more relevant than ever before. Tearing through Philistine Philosophies, Aura, Hold My Finger, Pussyfoot, Skies Of Millennium Night, and Golden Cufflinks, SikTh proved immediately that their most distant past and closest present offerings are utterly timeless.
SikTh don’t belong to an era; they belong to themselves. Similarly, Death Of A Dead Day isn’t an album you can listen to and dismiss as “just so 2006”. Not a single note pandered to the trends of the day. Instead, each one came from hearts and dark places, as the following setlist makes clear:
Bland Street Bloom
Flogging The Horses
Way Beyond The Fond Old River
Summer Rain
Part Of The Friction
Sanguine Seas Of Bigotry
In This Light
Mermaid Slur
When The Moment’s Gone
Where Do We Fall?
Another Sinking Ship
As The Earth Spins Round
As eagle-eyed readers will have noticed, even when directly acknowledging a past career milestone SikTh are able to keep their fans guessing. Slightly shuffling Death Of A Dead Day’s track listing worked effectively, made this show even more special, and prevented any risk of Koko’s faithful falling into an overfamiliar daze.
SikTh have never been predictable, and they’re not about to start now.
Were you at this show? What did you think? Leave a comment, follow me on Twitter, and let me know!