SEE OUR GALLERY OF PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT.
CLICK THE LINK ON THE TOP RIGHT>> "I don't know how to describe what they sound like." said the long haired tour promoter. "The papers are calling it gonzo rock. I don't know. It's definitely some sort of rock."
We're watching Sebastien, half of Death From Above 1979 (DFA), posing for fans' camera phones. To his right is the merchandise stall - his face, with added elephant trunk, is emblazoned on T-shirts pinned to the wall.
Further right, the drummer from controller.controller is rolling around on the floor - wrestling with someone in a 70's style leather jacket - he's wearing a woollen spider man mask. The cool kids sitting nearby are playfully kicking him in the head.  | | Jesse F. Keller (DFA) |
DFA are Canadian. Sebastien Grainger plays drums and sings. Jesse F. Keller plays the bass and sings. They create a pounding wailing robotic soaring cacophony that breaks into melody every now and then. 'Dead Womb' is the only song of theirs that I recognise - but it's a great song. Catchy and noisy. The two support bands are fast and loud. I spoke to Jesse in the only, nearly quiet place we could find, the Bar Academy's toilets. Sebastien locked himself in the cubicle. He banged, encouragingly, on the cubicle door when Jesse said something he liked. THE WISDOM OF JESSE F. KELLER FROM DFA  | | Fan at Bar Academy |
"I spent a little time in Birmingham today - walking around - past the Bullring - past a church - past that crazy building that looks kinda like a whale covered in chain mail." "What I saw of Birmingham today was kind of pretty. Such organisation surrounded by complete and utter chaos - that's what I think of England." ("Good one" shouts Sebastien - banging on the cubicle door).  | | At Bar Academy |
"We've been super busy - touring non-stop - in support of our album which comes out over here on the 28th of February and supporting our new single called 'Blood on our hands'." "We just do bass and drums. Why not? Why have no guitars? Cos they're boring y'know what I mean? Why add elements that aren't entirely necessary? People do things for boring reasons all the time - and that is not something that we do."  | | The Fever |
"We're the only band from Toronto, ever, it's all rap groups. I aim for rap money - I wanna have a diamond rolex and I want the band to pay for it - it's just a matter of time." "I don't need any help pulling ladies - I used to DJ and it was a lot easier to pull ladies as a DJ. Cos they can walk up to you while you are performing." "I am a musician - I am an artist with an instrument."  | | controller.controller in action |
"What should you be asking me? Listen to more rap - that's my answer for everything." "We formed in 2000. This is our fourth time in the UK, the second time in Birmingham that I can remember. The shows here almost go better than the shows in America - every show of this tour has been sold out." "In every person's music loving heart there's a place that hasn't been filled. They're going along desperately trying to fill this little space - but they can't find anything. Eventually maybe their minds get frustrated and they'll look at new things."  | | Sebastien from DFA |
"How should I be dressed? You mean dressed like an idiot? Dressed like I could be conducting traffic? Dressed like I should be picking up garbage or flying an airplane?" "We sell out every show in New York - that's great. LA same deal. But there's a huge expanse between those two places that's like bigger than the distance from here to Russia, that the shows are not as hot in." "Death from above are instrument technicians. It's from house music - it's from dance music, from jungle."  | | DFA fans |
"Now that we have our fish hooks in the minds of many people we're going to grab them and pull them into horrible places that they've never imagined going to, on their own. Once the door has been opened - take advantage of that in every way. That's what we are going to do." "We're going to make it harder and more challenging and more serious and more ****ed up. That's our responsibility as artists." Conversation over, Jesse and Sebastien exit the toilets. They then appear on stage and make a tremendous racket. The audience cheer. More information:
http://www.deathfromabove1979.com/
http://www.controllercontroller.com/
http://www.thefeveronline.com ====
Jesse F. Keller spoke to Ciarán Ryan | 
