A Ho99o9 story from London
Images by Jeff Moh, words by Ben Dodd from mid May 2017, Ho99o9 at SeBright Arms and Rough Trade
Sebright Arms
On Monday May 8th 2017, I virtually time travelled to Washington DC to see Bad Brains for the first time. Ho99o9 are something else, but that was the level of insanity I was witness to; a mosh pit that was relentless from the first note to the last.
Our story at TheZineUK, is one that weaves, so here's a bit of preamble; I wasn't originally attending, as we hadn't received the confirmation email, so I phoned our photographer, Jeff, to inform him.
Jeff said to come, as he would speak to the venue owners (Mr Moh is a well known face of the music world, having photographed so many legends over the decades) and would sort it out - which he did, and then some!
It transpires that he got chatting to the band's manager, who kindly gave him ten minutes in which to shoot the band outside the venue. Jeff only takes five minutes to complete his quick photo session with Ho99o9. Much to our appreciation.
Bonus! - no support band just Ho99o9 at 10pm.
Oh and weaving this tale, Isaac from Slaves was outside. He asked "Have you seen them before?"
"Nope". An almost evil grin came over his face, "you're in for a treat mate"
Cheers Isaac!
Inside Sebright Arms, it all seemed quite sedate, people jigging around to a DJ playing all sorts.
Then
Ho99o9 came out on stage, one dressed like a doctor out of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, the other in camo jacket and skirt, with a satin, ripped balaclava/face mask, dropping beats so fierce, it sent the mosh pit in to an immediate frenzy, throwing Jeff and all the other photographers two feet on to the stage, where they remained for the rest of the set.
I'd like to say I could break down their set in the usual way, but I can't. You felt it, you absorbed it. I was like an adrenaline shot to the heart, being thrown around in a storm. Slapped upside the head, but in a good way. There's no band in the UK that can match what I have just witnessed (and Ive been lucky enough to see some of the best in the last few months). Their performance and message is one of alienation and anger and they have found receptive audiences both sides of the pond and beyond.
I'm glad I went. I'm glad Jeff said to just come, otherwise I would have missed being out in a steam room, created by a band that is Bad Brains for now. Enough with the comparisons and will let the rest of this gig present itself through Jeff's images.
New Album
'United States Of Horror'
That was gonna be the end of this chapter but this is TheZineUK - unashamed obsessives that follow the addictive live music experiences, and keep going back for more.
Thursday 11th May 2017
Rough Trade Records.
In pictures by Jeff Moh.
Do not miss the return of Ho99o9 to BritainIreland June 2017. Dublin 19th, Manchester 20th and London Underworld 21st (some solstice!) as part of their currrent world tour.