Review
Review
Fat Dog at O2 Kentish Town Forum, 23/11/24
Chaos and cult-like status prevail for one of London’s most talked about bands
At first it was whispers, and a sense of mystery. It was clear that something has been building in London these past couple of years, only accessible to those in the right places at the right times. Then those whispers got louder.
Building a reputation for raucous live shows, and finding a home at The Windmill, which is seemingly the home of any and all exciting new London bands, Fat Dog have only gone from strength to strength since their emergence. Whilst those whispers have since been replaced with something more akin to a shout, there is still a cult-like feel to the band. Signing with Domino, constant touring, and the festival circuit, only expands the cult, rather than breaking it.
“He’s like Jesus” a woman in the crowd said to me. And there certainly is a messianic quality to lead singer Joe Love; each time he deigns to leave the stage there’s a sea of hands reaching out to meet him, to touch him, to make sure that he is indeed a mere mortal. Dressed in a white suit, completed by cowboy hat, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a cult leader and his sermon. On ‘I Am The King’, Love enters the crowd. He only lasts the song. “You lot are f*cking animals” he tells us, such is the fervent devotion from the Fat Dog faithful.
On the surface, it can be hard to see why a band like Fat Dog elicit such a frenzied response. On this night we were treated to on-stage push-ups, something approximating a dance routine, and an opening monologue from Dune actor Neil Bell. And that was a tame offering. Such bombast, and frankly silliness, is more in-line with what you’d expect from a band who didn’t care, or more to the point, who knew they would never be this successful. But Fat Dog have built their burgeoning career on (seemingly) not caring, and it’s probably what’s got them here, in front of an expectant two thousand at the end of their biggest headline tour to date. You don’t forget Fat Dog in a hurry.
You don’t forget the noise either. It’s hard to pin down what exactly it is. A sensory overload of punk and techno, and a million other things in-between. It’s music you can dance to, and music to mosh to. And if you weren’t moshing, then you were jumping. No matter what, you were sweaty. There was no respite, but lead single and slimy anthem ‘King Of The Slugs’ provided something of a sing-along, whilst ‘All The Same’ was another highlight, showcasing both band and crowd energy. An encore was delivered, featuring a cover of ‘Satisfaction’. And no, it wasn’t the Stones. It was the Benny Bennasi track of the same name, a tongue-in-cheek homage if ever there was one, but it worked brilliantly. New song ‘Skibidi’ was also showcased, before the band ended on ‘Running’. It’s arguably their best, and was an inspired way to end, not just the night, but the tour.
The lights came on, and Peter Andre and ‘Mysterious Girl’ came over the speakers. Because of course it did. It’s Fat Dog. And it should be clear by now that both the unexpected and the tongue-in-cheek are par for the course. Leaving the Forum, there were smiles all around. And as we piled onto the North London pavement, even the bitter cold couldn’t shock the collective elation out of us. The spell may have been lifted, but we remained entranced. It is clear that the cult of Fat Dog is as strong as ever. And whilst it might have been quasi-religious at times, this was better than any mass.
