PHOTOS: MELT-BANANA + PIKACYU-MAKOTO, RAW POWER FESTIVAL 2016, 28/05/2016
Raw Power Festival, the home for all things noisy. 3 days of non-stop experimental tunes from bands hailing from across the globe, and this year the stage for two highlight performances from two leading Japanese noise duos, PIKACYU-MAKOTO, and MELT-BANANA.
PIKACYU-MAKOTO delivered a collection of whimsical otherworldly pieces lead by Pikacyu’s (ex-Afrirampo) spirited drumming, contrasted by Makoto’s (Acid Mothers Temple) gentle guitar play, never pausing the 40 minute set as they smoothly transitioned from song to song (or they just played two massive tracks, it’s hard to tell).
On the complete opposite end of the scale, MELT-BANANA did what they do best and blew the venue apart with their combo of erratic noise, fast drums, and punk riffs. Despite being away from Blighty since 2014, it was almost like they had never left, with the whole crowd going ape as soon as the first beat hit the amps.
After all was said and done, we were left picking our brains off the ceiling, ready to do it all over again next year.
Photos by Charles Shepherd