Live Review

G.O.D – Electric Ballroom Camden, London

• 4th May 2009

G O D is a strange beast (G.O.D meaning Government Overdose Department). The band is generally one entity – Lawrence Greenman. An interesting if boisterous figure on stage. His influences come in loud ‘n’ clear – but the general tone of the band as a whole is one with tremendous range.

You could take a whole mesh of Rock, Ska, old punk, reggae and the list would still seem unfulfilled. Greenman may well have spent a lot of his time being influenced by the likes of The Specials – his stage ranting sometimes becomes altogether bemusing – But then it didn’t stop one guy in the crowd crying out “This is the Future!” in support of the band.

But credit must duly go to where it is deserved, and as much as Greenman is G.O.D he would be resolutely lost without his session musicians. Many at the very least herald from Suffolk.
Lead guitarist Ben Pegley makes his guitar work seem so effortless on stage. Not one for prancing about onstage, or even wandering far from where he’s positioned himself. He keeps a constant control over his craft and largely gives many musicians a run for their money. But then he isn’t the only strong talent on stage. Other session musicians include known figure Robbie Gladwell on rhythm guitar and a rather funky keyboardist in the shape of Reg Webb. The problem with the tech guys at the Electric Ballroom is there need to have constant smoke on stage. Drummer Mark Simpson and Bassist Lincoln Anderson simply started to disappear into the smoke for a large part of the show.

Green went on to dominate the rest of the evening with different incarnations of his acts. His sweaty rants become all the more obscure after a while, but then who needs direction when there are session musicians like this backing you up. Seems a shame that the leading vocalist should be so shadowed by the quality of musicians around him, but then he’d be lost without them as well.