Lust For Youth
The 100 Club | 26 September
Initially, walking amongst a crowd of young, black-clad head nodders at 100 Club on a Friday night could be intimidating for anyone. However, the avant garde support acts and £5 pints are easily forgiven after witnessing a mesmerising performance by Scandinavian trio, Lust For Youth.
Originally the coldwave project of Hannes Norrvide, Lust For Youth has grown over the years with the addition of Loke Rahbeck (Sexdrome & Vår) and Malthe Fischer. The gradual growth of the band has allowed Lust For Youth to mature from early experimental and juvenile noise into the crowd-pleasing synth-pop of the latest LP, International. Whilst the label synth-pop may seem like a recycled nightmare from the 80’s, don’t be fooled! Lust For Youth are not some 21ST century Depeche Mode. Tracks like Epoetin Alfa and the pleasantly deafening walls of sound between songs mirror Lust For Youth’s previously dark image, making their live shows all the more pleasing.
The band’s stage presence, much like the audience’s attire, was at first threatening. Whilst seemingly making a conscious effort to steer away from audience participation, Lust For Youth are still able to give a performance entirely personal to each watcher. Despite the apparent aloofness, there is clear enjoyment in their performance that allows everyone present to share the pleasure of drowning themselves in the music and also, dancing.
It is this ability to call out to both the individual and the communal that made Lust For Youth’s gig, without being too sycophantic, nothing short of incredible. To see the band live is like taking an intense, emotional rollercoaster, yet still avoiding reality enough for you to remain in your comfort zone. Leaving the show, we were temporarily overcome by some sort of freedom blocking us from any other thoughts apart from “wow, that was intense”. The freedom was only broken by the obligatory bloke puking on the train and bringing us tumbling back into reality.
The ability to create an experience that is both extremely personal and at the same time communal is what ultimately makes seeing Lust for Youth, without wanting to sound sycophantic, incredible.
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Words: Billie Monnier-Stokes
Photo: Anna Dobos
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