Augustines at Koko

Augustines have come all the way from New York to London as part of their European tour, rocking out to a sold-out crowd, bringing energy and charisma to what was a solid show last night at KOKO in Camden. The show was general admission, giving the fans freedom to walk about and find a good spot to watch the guys rock.

The band’s sound is a blend of indie/folk rock with an anthem feel to it; a U2 Where the Streets Have No Name sound. Though this may sound cool, it felt as if every song was one dimensional, making us wonder if they had anything else to bring to the table as artists. However, because it was anthem-based, the sound was uplifting and didn’t stop the crowd from putting their hands and beers in the air and singing along to their music. Unfortunately though, the sound people did not do a good job with the mix at first, and it took several songs into the set for them to even out all the members on stage.

Despite those inconsistencies, these guys put on a ridiculously fun show. They improvised jams, and there was even a duel between the lead singer/guitarist and their trombone player. This provided comic relief and got the crowd really going. The venue also featured an amazing light show that coincided with the intensity and mood of each song – well done on their part.

Easily these guys know what it takes to own a sold-out show. In terms of creativity and their sound, we can only hope that they branch out and explore new territories as artists.  It does get a little redundant after a while when you only can play a song that sounds like the entire back catalogue.

Joe Hoffman
Photos: Guifré de Peray

For further information and future events visit Augustines’ website here.

Watch the video for Nothing to Lose But Your Head here: