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Lach at Blang! at the 12bar - 10th March 2004

The place was packed and there was a buzz(fuz) in the air. That monthly celebration of musical misfits, Blang! at the 12bar, had a special guest that night. Lach was in town.

The legendary innovator behind the Antifolk movement, without whom many a great musician wouldn't have reached our ears (and this website probably wouldn't exist), was playing a secret gig. Lach was touring the UK to coincide with the release of his new album 'Today'. This was his only solo set of the tour.

Grasping a punctured acoustic guitar, Lach opened his set by playing the 'Blang' chord. This dissonant and aggressive chord gave the name to his second album, 'Blang!'. This is the very album that the night is named after. Lach confessed that back in New York, during his darkest hours of ennui, it always cheered him up to remember that over in London there was a night named after his music.

Lach then treated the crowd to some corkers, including the wonderful and optimistic 'Former President George Bush' and hilarious Hilary Clinton song. In between tunes the audience was treated to some of his poetry, including a poignant recital of Sergeant Buzfuz's play list.

By this point he was driving a musical steamroller, crushing all in his path with old classics like 'Smoking Again' and new songs like 'Antenna'. Finally, he drew his set to a close with the all-time classic 'Drinking Beers With Mom'. Inviting the audience to participate with his solo, he offered his fret board to the crowd like a sordid husband offers his wife's body in a suburban orgy. The crowd cheered for encores, but with a number of acts waiting in the wings, they were left hungry for more.

To top it all off, as he'd been suffering a cold throughout the night, Sergeant Buzfuz even served up some hot lemon water halfway through the gig. The word on the street is that the mighty Lach is coming back in the summer. Get out your diaries.