It’s fair to say that Kirkcaldy has seen better times. Ironically or appropriately (depending on your political stance) for the home town of the “Father of Capitalism” Adam Smith, the days when the “Lang Toun” was bookended by successful collieries with flourishing linoleum works in between have long since passed, and the windswept promenade (nowadays flanked by sets of tower blocks and dotted by the backs of closed high street retail shops and a modernist multi-storey car park so brutal that it appears to have been implanted directly from a war zone) looks mournfully across the gloaming to the thriving national capital, Edinburgh.
Despite a population of fifty thousand, Kirkcaldy has been a bit of a cultural desert of late with the last cinema closing way back in 2000, but a local company has been formed to bring the cinema building, which was originally The King’s Theatre, back to life. To raise funds to support the refurbishment of the arts hub, a space at the rear of the campus, the former YWCA building, has been repurposed as a performance space where this multi-band gig took place, arranged by local legends Gothzilla. With a raised stage, high ceiling, great lights and sound, the space is perfect for gigs of this size, particularly with the addition of an adjacent and very affordable bar, and deserves to be a huge success.
Gothzilla mailman Tim Jarvis had assembled a fantastic trio of acts renowned for their ‘live’ prowess for Friday night’s show at the King’s, with English duo Last July and fellow Scottish band Voodoo Twins (ironically the only band with more than two members on the bill) joining his own ensemble for the evening’s entertainment.
Voodoo Twins clearly enjoyed the extra space which the King’s stage afforded them compared to the cramped cellar at Bannerman’s in Edinburgh the last time I saw them earlier in the year. Since then the Dalkeith-based act has also added a number of new songs (like The Day The World Said No, Paralysed, etc) to the set list, increasing the space rock electronica element of their high octane melodic post-punk sound, driven by the infectious enthusiasm and energy of bassist/vocalist Daz and the versatility of fellow frontman and guitarist Jim. With drummer Pete and synth maestro Bo keeping the galloping rhythm tight, Voodoo Twins’ fast-paced set again got proceedings off to a great start.
Next on stage were scene stalwarts Last July, initially a four-piece but now down to the core of talented multi-instrumentalist Dvae Stanton and singer Alixandrea Corvyn. The latter has a richly-deserved reputation as one of the best performers on the goth circuit, and her emotional range, tonal control and sense of dynamics illuminated a great set which ranged from their classic earworm Into The Void to an inspired cover of Editors’ Papillon. Whether displaying emotional vulnerability in Driving With The Breaks On, which deals with her (very well-disguised) stage fright and imposter syndrome (an appropriate analogy given that her day job is as an HGV driver) or gratitude in the duo’s tribute to David Bowie, the touching The World You Left Behind, Corvyn pours her heart and soul into each track, ably assisted by Stanton’s solid guitar work and the dark electronica of the backing. Despite fifteen years of existence this was the project’s first gig in Scotland and hopefully the enthusiastic reception they received will encourage them to make the long trek from Norfolk once more before too long.
Headliners Gothzilla are the ultimate feel-good goth band (which many would consider a contradiction in terms) in a ‘live’ context and resistance is futile when the (Sisters’) Overbombing period riffs and Jarvis’ soaring vocal are as on point as they were on Today Is A Good Day To Die and Tightwire, the opening tracks of 2011’s debut album Catharsis and also of tonight’s set. Solid writing and great ‘live’ delivery of the anthemic likes of It Is What It Is, The Edge of Forever and The Unknown keep the pace high, with covers of Cast No Shadow and Games Without Frontiers another highlight. Corvyn joins Jarvis for the latter duet, re-creating the charity release under the name Call Me Legion of a couple of years ago. As is customary, the show ended with audience participation in Gothzilla’s signature tune, Temple of Sound, rounding off a successful evening, even if Jarvis will privately have been a little disappointed with the turnout, even given the clash with the much-anticipated Fife soccer derby that evening.
For those who were unable to attend, or for those who wish to relive some of the highlights of a great night out, Oh My Goth have some excellent live footage of all three bands (click on band name) on their YouTube site: Voodoo Twins Last July Gothzilla
