Hudson – Album release party, Brussels Botanique
“I get killed once in a while”
Hudson are four young men from the “wasteland” of southern Belgium with power chords and a purpose. Think Trompe Le Monde , think Siamese Dream , think Copper Blue , electricity and bone buzzing bass.
Tonight is the album launch party so naturally the set draws heavily on debut long player Teenage Thrill . Hudson take the stage with all the confidence of a band who know they have a solid gold, alt rock anthem to die for in title track and album opener. It’s a song with more hooks than Hellraiser. But they don’t unveil it right away. Wise move. Often opening live songs are lost until the mix is fine tuned. Hudson know that ‘Teenage Thrill’ is special enough to save until the end. In fact the whole stagecraft is more than admirable for a band so early into their career. The guitarist seems lost in a reverie of licks and chords, swaying and spinning stage left. The rhythm section both adopt a more confrontational approach cajoling the crowd with fist pumping and provocative shouts. In fact the bassist has something of British Sea Power about him with his salutes and wild-eyed stares. I half expected him to climb the lighting rig Martin Noble stylee.
Stage centre we have the tortured artist Pierre, fully committed to his art. For all intents and purposes lead man Pierre Lejeune isn’t with us tonight. He’s gone. He’s away someplace else channelling music, doubts and rage back to us the audience. At the end he smashes his guitar, Pete Townsend style. “I had to” he said to me afterwards. The voices probably told him.
They played most, if not all the album. It promises to be something special. I’d heard approximately half of it already through various promos but in a live setting the songs dynamism really comes through. Non-album song ‘On A Highway’ is one of the gig standouts, as are ‘Archetype’ and ‘Teenage Thrill’. You may not know Hudson yet in the States or in the UK but Belgium has a rising force in alternative rock. Ignore them at your peril.
.
.
~Concert pics by El’bugs Photo and Manu Marbaix Photography and are subject to copyright. Links below~
~Album release bundle picture by Luna~
