Another opening act surprise Friday night in TV Buddha. As they set up for their set, a floor tom drum made it to the center of the stage, alongside a kit in the back, I had a feeling their percussive sound would land differently.
When someone stepped out with a sax and took position at that tom, it was clear this wasn't going to be anything I've seen or heard before.
Their music leaned into noise and art rock, but never descended into full chaos. Even with everything happening on stage, it stayed controlled. There was melody in it, hooks that held it together without the clashes or bangs. (Though I like that every so often) It delivered on that sense of uniqueness I was hoping for. There was something faintly British in the air too, beyond their mod aesthetic.
Maybe it was in how they moved, a kind of erratic control, barely contained with pensive energy, especially from the tom drummer doubling on sax who to me would've fit in with the Jam of the Buzzcocks.
Refreshing to see a setup and presence that actually feels considered and a little unpredictable. I photograph artists for their music, but add a little something different to their stage setup and aesthetic, and I'm sold.
TV Buddha opened for Times New Viking, but I'm already looking forward to catching their own headlining set around our shared little town.