So it's almost the end of 2011 and what better way to ring out the year then to the sounds of one of the best bands of the year; The Horrors. Their third album 'Skying' has enjoyed a healthy critical and commercial (No.5 in the UK album charts) response and it was brilliantly showcased at the Fred Perry Subsonic night at the Garage in Islington.
The Horrors were not the only impressive aspect of the night as their support came from Toy. A new band that helped create an atmosphere that would pulsate through the night. With a similar style to The Horrors, I'm sure many of The Horrors fans in attendance will be left curious by Toy as it's rare that support band leaves such a strong impression; a great advert for them.
The Horrors came out and frontman Faris Badwan explained that he hadn't been feeling too well recently, even having to cancel several recent performances. Faris would therefore be restricted to sit on a stool throughout the gig. This was not really an inconvenience and even seemed to compliment the raspy modest vocals that Faris contributes to The Horrors. Opener 'Changing the Rain' was a great indicator of things to come and songs such as 'Still Life' and 'Sea Within a Sea' kept the mood ticking brilliantly. The Horrors set however came to a close with 'Skying' Centre piece and set highlight; 'Moving Further Away'. This elongated version saw guitarist Joshua Hayward showing his raw ability before the songs epic conclusion, leaving everyone wanting more. However, that was it from The Horrors as a band, with the rest of the night being taken care of by guest DJ's (one being Horrors bassist Rhys Webb)
All in all it was a fantastic night at The Garage and the people at Fred Perry Subsonic will be hoping that this great success will continue throughout 2012.