Damn Arms and INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONSPIRACY at the Bar On The Hill 9/04/2006

The last time International Noise Conspiracy played in Australia was in 2002 as part of the now defunct Livid Festival. I had only heard snippets of the band, and some of their songs, and only heard of their notorious shows at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney.

The International Noise Conspiracy hail from Sweden, and none of them went to university. They are a band that carry the "punk" spirit, whatever that means these days, more so than any supposed new punk band ala simple plan or good charlotte.

I had been waiting an age to see the support band, Damn Arms, formed from the ashes of Snap!Crakk!! This is a young Australian band worth hearing about. They hail from Melbourne, and yes they have the requisite look aplomb with vintage t-shirt (joy division at that), and tight black jeans, but they have the music to back it up. They seem to marry the punk, electro, guitar, sound quite well, and it's a danceable mash. And oh that synth is sexy. With quite a bit of touring overseas under their belt (they toured with now broken up test icicles in the UK earlier this yr) they produce a solid set, and I look forward to hearing more from this band.

Lead singer of The International Noise Conspiracy Dennis Lyxzen used to be in the band Refused, a punk/hardcore band who are most famous for their definitive album "The shape of punk to come" just before they broke up in 1998. Which probably explained why there are quite a few "punk" kids at the show. However if they were looking for Refused they wont really find it here tonight.

The International Noise Conspiracy, whilst sharing the punk attitude, show more of a rock/blues sentiment than a punk sound. They are an interesting band both musically and politically. They all share Marxist ideology and it's reflected in their lyrics and music.

"Either Everyone Dances, or No One Dances!" is taken from their inlay on their most recent album "Armed Love" and it's clear from their performance tonight they live by that motto.

Dennis writhes around onstage like some kind of nubile dancer. I don't think I have ever seen a stage man be so energetic. The other members join in too. They sing "Capitalism stole my virginity" and "Smash it up", which seem to be crowd favourites. Dennis even jumps into the crowd and sings from within. At the end of the set, they ask the crowd to make a change, to do something about the world, effectively that "we're all in this together" any other time it would sound corny, but its clear that the band is passionate and genuine so you cant help but smile, and reminisce about the days when music could be revolutionary. And wonder it maybe it's still possible today.

In an interview with their bassist Inge:

What do you want people to remember when they go home tonight?

I don't know. We're just a rock band. Times have changed so much since it was enough to gather like half a million people on a field and smoke some weed and listen to Country Joe and the Fish and then suddenly start a war, haha. But if we can make people feel liberated, feel happy, feel inspired and dance and go home with one fist in the air and a book in the hand. What I want us to be? When I was young, like 14 or 15 and I got into punk and politics and listened to the Clash and Dead Kennedys and a lot of Swedish punkbands, they kinda "triggered" all this curiosity and excitement for getting to know all this stuff and getting involved. "Why were The Clash singing about the Spanish civil war? What is going on with that that?" It made me read that book and watch that movie. That's what I want our band to be right now, because I'm still here you know, I'm still doing things because of that and if we can pass that feeling along to someone that's maybe all we can do.

http://www.rootsofcompassion.org/beta/zine/people/noiseconspiracy.shtml

Their passion shines through, in the way they perform, and in their music. And I have to admit despite the cynic in me, I went home feeling a little inspired.

Punk isn't dead, not when there are bands like these carrying that spirit around.

By Gayatri Nair