Is Stroud ready for time travelling Norwegians from the future sent to save our musical souls? (YES).
A month or so ago I got a message from the esteemed Pavlos Kyraciou of infamous Stroud band Square Bomb asking me if I’d be interested in helping put on a gig with a visiting band. Now before I go on I’d like to remind you all of the Daddy Long Legs gig they put on with the SVA at the Good’s Shed on last year. THAT gig. That gig was one of the best bands I have ever had the pleasure of seeing in the town. So, based on the reputation of the mighty Squares and their immaculate musical contacts I was pretty certain I was going to say yes.
By the time I’d watched the first few seconds of their video Monroe (bearded ladies, men in sequinned hot pants AND Adam Ant-esque face paint?) I realised that Norwegian band Moviestar were exactly what Stroud has been waiting for.
“There are bands that are quite ordinary and traditional and there are those that are, well, quite unique. Norway’s Moviestar definitely fall into the latter camp.”
Of course I’m completely unfazed when I’m told that Moviestar claim to originate from the distant future, or that band members Infinity Vik, Anaconda and The Octopus Goddess, claim to have landed their spaceship in Norway before touring the UK, France and the US. That’s like an everyday thing in Stroud, right? In fact, I have it in good authority that Viktoria Winge (AKA Vik Inifinity) used to live in Stroud, but that's pretty similar to having lived in the distant future is it?
So how can I describe their sound? Well, although they may define themselves as Sci-Fi Rock, as I have no idea what that is I am going to presume you don’t either, but you might recognise it as a new incarnation of Art Punk Pop, reminiscent of bands like Television, B52’s and LCD Soundsystem.
“Some might call them ‘quirky’ whilst others might grope for different synonyms. You cannot deny they stand out from the crowd and bring character, colour and oddity into music.”
Watching their live shows (about a hundred times a day over the last few weeks) I have fallen in love with their performance, their impeccably delivered theatrical ridiculousness: costume, humour, music… Infinity Vik is a true performance queen with an explosive stage presence, the love child of a tryst between David Bowie, Freddy Mercury and James Brown.
“(Vik) sounds like a young Debbie Harry, a little less crazy than Juliette Lewis, more edgy than Lily Allen…"
The band cite Queen, David Bowie, Björk, Elvis, Goldfrapp, Michael Jackson, Genesis, LCD Soundsystem, and Daft Punk as their inspiration and promise a live performance out of the ordinary, steeped in cosmic chaos.
And so Movistar will be appearing in Stroud on May 25th at the Old Town Hall, for a sneak preview of their debut album, Stupid People Happy Days, due to be released in 2017. (I’m not sure if they took their spaceship or a more traditional mode of transport, but make sure you watch the skies for flashing lights next week just in case??)
They’ll be supported by Square Bomb, because who else could possibly match such an extraordinary band, and between them they promise an evening of musical playfulness, punk poetry, extreme anti-pretentiousness, and another unforgettable night for Stroud.
And on a Thursday too. Oh, Stroud, we spoil you.
MovieStar + Square Bomb Thursday 25th May, Old Town Hall, Shambles, Stroud. Doors 7.30pm - midnight. Tickets £6 (adv) from Trading Post Records, or £8 (door). Visit the facebook event page here for further info.
You can find out more about the extraordinary Moviestar by visiting their website moviestartheband.com, capture a flavour of their performances via the May Good On Paper playlist here or peruse their EP on Bandcamp at moviestar.bandcamp.com
No one knows what Sarah Phaedre Watson really does, she spends time gallivanting off to Africa to make films, writing for various publications, or passionately supporting community arts and events. She certainly gets about a bit