Live Report: Osees – Electric Ballroom, London

Is the stage covered in more sweat or spit? Who knows. Who cares. Either way, this report is not only a live review but my love letter to John Dwyer. A true legend within the garage psych scene and a wizard on guitar, Osees give Electric Ballroom the night of their life a week after their album release.

Playing the following day at Dingwalls and then the following Sunday at Shacklewell Arms, Osees are truly making the most of their time here in London. Coming from LA, the band give Camden an hour and forty minutes of uninterrupted and unhinged garage rock complete with their iconic duo drummers placed hectically in the middle of the stage. With double the man power on percussion, the precision of the drums elevates their sound pushing them miles ahead of any other live band.

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With no need to introduce the songs to their cult following, the band crash through 23 tracks with sweat flying off the cymbals with each synced crash. Claiming to be a ‘rip off’ of a multitude of bands, Dwyer’s humble nature doesn’t change the fact that Osees are easily one of the best live bands you could see in this day and age. With a multitude of name changes throughout the career  (which he has claimed is an attempt to frustrate the music press) and a handful of line up changes, Dwyer is the glue holding this all together. With the band watching him for signals, he jokes “right, let’s slow things down for the drummers” before crashing into ‘Scramble Suit II’, arguably their fastest song of the night.

With his guitar slung high and his hands moving faster than ever, Dwyer’s presence shocks through the audience like a lightning bolt. His mic shifts from the stand to his back pocket to then down his throat, all to free his hands for more guitar wizardry. With just shy of 30 albums to their name, the band still manages to keep things fresh with their sharp rhythms. Just a week after releasing their new album SORCS 80, they flaunt their love for heavier music. They kick off the set with ‘Plastics’ from the new record but also deliver fan favourites such as ‘The Dream’ and ‘Toe Cutter-Thumb Buster’ (which I still think should be a legal obligation to play in every strip club because it would make for an excellent stripper song – am I right??)

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The seasoned veterans of psych rock play a flawlessly executed set and are nothing short of a spectacle to be seen. True perfectionists with each second of the show planned to precision, there is no room for error. Even when Dwyer realises his guitar is out of tune one second into ‘Tunnel Time’, he sprints to the drums slamming his hand on them getting the band to stop. “This is my fuck up” he barks. Immediately rectifying it, it’s clear he will not allow any continuation unless all is perfect. Ironically, there’s a lot of room in rock and garage for scrappiness. However, Dwyer won’t allow it. With precision comes volume. And Osees are loud.

I never knew if it was possible to feel your pupils dilate when falling in love. I’m still not certain, but I’m almost sure I felt mine do just that tonight. Watching Dwyer down beer after beer, sweat fleeing from his hair, and witnessing a talent like no other musician I’ve ever seen, it’s impossible to peel your gaze from his direction. He’s not just a pioneer of the scene; he’s a musical inspiration to many. Consider this not just a review but my love letter to him.

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Words Jazz Hodge
Images: Rachel Lipsitz

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