Live Review: Pom Poko - Thousand Island, London 20/09/2017

During their 3-day stint in London, I caught Pom Poko on their second date at Thousand Island in Highbury, and their sickly sweet pop-punk aesthetic certainly livened up a rather drab Wednesday night.

Unfortunately for the Norwegian quartet, the support band were a no-show, however this did nothing to deter their energy and determination. Arriving at the venue, the ceilings were covered in disco balls, the walls were lined with tin foil and I was full of anticipation. Initially, there were around 6 people for the start of the set, but the room began to steadily fill out as the set progressed.

Pom Poko are difficult to put into a box. Their backdrop was covered with rainbows and mysterious hand-drawn mythical creatures, yet their sound is sharp, full of energy, and demands your attention. The guys were all sporting an interesting combination of shorts, visible socks and trainers, whilst the lead singer had a rather fabulous jumpsuit, which permitted her full-throttle, limb-flinging dances that are normally reserved for the bedroom mirror.

They only have a handful of songs available online, however I can confirm that their other material is just as catchy, and I believe it leans more towards the punk genre than their current singles ‘It’s A Trap’, ‘Jazz Baby’ and their most recent single ‘You’ll Be Fine’. However, they still delivered their unpredictable drums and unapologetic guitars that they are becoming known for. A particular highlight from the set was when they merged ‘It’s A Trap’ with their final song through a wall of noise, that at first appeared messy and chaotic, but fell gracefully into the last song of the night.

Pom Poko are gradually building up interest, and over the summer performed at The Great Escape festival in Brighton, as well as a number of Scandinavian festivals. They are a band that intrigues me, and I can’t wait to hear more material from them in the coming months.

Review by Charlotte McHale
Main Photo By Anthony Adams