Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Sat 8 Sept
Even in their earliest period, as a group of sullen Danish teenagers whose songs were squarely in the hinterland between postpunk and hardcore, Iceage hinted at musically cosmopolitan ambitions. Frontman Elias Rønnenfelt uploaded mixes whose tracklistings ranged from bestial black metal to Bruce Springsteen, and in time the Copenhagen band pushed in disparate directions. Their fourth and latest album, Beyondless, lurches with tipsy grandeur, Rønnenfelt’s vocals high in the mix and florid brass parts cropping up among the Bad Seeds/Gun Club type rock testifying.
The seven years since New Brigade, the debut Iceage album, has fairly flew by. In that time, they’ve been elevated to extremely fashionable underground rock icons, settled into what seems like a commercial niche – unlikely to become minor rock aristocracy a la Nick Cave, but able to command a set global audience – and, in Rønnenfelt’s case, started dating alt-pop maven Sky Ferreira (who guests on Beyondless album track Pain Killer).
For all that Iceage have occasionally seemed irked by even basic expectations of promoting themselves, they do appear to enjoy relative artistic freedom, and have most recently channeled that into their version of ‘big music’ – minus the U2-like slickness, and with their muggy distorted side retained. Should be a mint gig, and the biggest one yet for promoters Slush Puppy, so go support.
Tickets: £13.50. Info: 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net (NG)