Le Pub, Newport
Sat 13 May
South Wales three-piece Exit_International split up in 2015, in advance of lead vocalist Scott Lee Andrews moving to Australia with his wife. As such, it was logical to assume that that was that for their sassy, noisy rock – save for the ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ principle, which this month will see Andrews return to the UK, hook back up with his two (still locally-based) bandmates and play three UK shows.
E_I (the underscore is sometimes used by the band, sometimes not) formed in 2010 – a few years after the end of both Andrews’ previous group Midasuno, and The Martini Henry Rifles, who featured bassist Fudge Wilson. Both members play bass in E_I (drummer Adam Thomas completes the trio), a quasi-nod to similarly equipped Chicago group Girls Against Boys, with the result a punchy, rhythm-driven melange of groove and punk. This manifested itself in two albums during their time together, 2011’s Black Junk and the self-released Our Science Is Golden, from 2014. New music was promised at the start of this year, although given the 10,000-mile distance between members it’s likely that it’s not been recorded yet.
Exit_International also play London on Thurs 11 May Wrexham’s Focus Wales weekender on Fri 12. Thereafter, June will see the release of the third Mutation album, an impressively OTT clash of noise, metal and electronics from Andrews and Ginger Wildheart.
Tickets: £7. Info: 01633 221477