Echotape at The Barfly, Camden

On the third date of their headline UK tour, Echotape play at The Barfly in Camden, the place to be for new and upcoming indie bands.

Although most of the crowd are drowned and displeased by the weather outside, it doesn’t take the five-piece long to raise their spirits. Using their self-proclaimed “epic guitar lines and sweeping vocals” mixed with “multi-layered industrial textures,” the band keep the audience energised throughout their set.

Echotape formed in 2011, attracting attention through their prolific blog and live underground gigs. As a sort of post-punk art-rock band, they cite influences ranging from Echo & the Bunnymen to early New Order. However, their live performance sounds most like stadium rockers Muse on a calm day, with frontman Andi Karthauser sounding exactly like Matt Bellamy.

Although he has only been with Echotape for two years, Karthauser has previously been the frontman for two other bands: Sion and the practically unknown Jukeswave.  This experience shows tonight – Karthauser definitely knows how to put on a good show.

Their guitar riffs flood through the venue with a relentless velocity and it is obvious that their music is too big for a standard bar, even constrained by the expansive Barfly. Single Far From Heaven explodes into the room, causing all of the audience to sing along, while highlight of the night Cannot Stop shows their knack for song-writing with its thoughtful lyrics and booming chorus.

There isn’t anything groundbreaking here, but with support from Killing Joke bassist and legendary producer Youth, and a number of gleaming reviews of their debut album Collective , Echotape are on the right path, sure to be following in Muse’s footsteps and hitting those stadiums in the near future.

Verdict: ••••                                   

James Alder

Photos: Marga Moner

For further information about Echotape and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Far From Heaven here: