Live Reviews
lincolnbands.co.uk - iodo EP launch night - 05/08/07

Myself: "I don't usually come to these sort of gigs."

Friend: "Why not?"

Myself: "Everyone's so damn stylish."

Admittedly not the greatest of attitudes to take with you to a gig, but as it happens it was a fairly accurate statement. On display tonight was an abundance in big hair, cowboy boots and suits - resulting in a level of suaveness that I can't help but feel threatened by.

However, whilst the fashion on show tonight may have oozed style, the music did not. That is, they were all so very original musically that it was difficult to pinpoint a certain style of music to them, creating an excellent position for themselves where they need not fear being pigeonholed into a certain genre or feel compelled to play a certain kind of music indefinitely. I for one envy all three bands for maintaining that position so well.

...The final band to play this evening (and rightfully so, it is their night after all) are jazz / electronica band iodo, who are visibly ready to unleash their new EP 'True Love Waits' on their eagerly anticipating fans. Once again, this reviewer hadn't heard a great deal by the band so it was indeed pleasantly suprising to hear what the four-piece had to offer.

The guys exploded into their first song (of which I do not know the title of) with the intensity that the audience had come to expect after the night they had witnessed thus far. "It doesn't matter, settle down," repeat cornetist George and laptop maestro Kip, whilst guitarist Dappy overlaps the two with his own vocals in an excellent Futureheads-esque stroke of creativity. So early in the set I found myself highly impressed with the use of faster-than-sound basslines, technical guitar work (particularly in the solos) and great Patrick Wolf-esque vocal stylings that fit incredibly well with the music. And then the cornet was introduced - originality just got more original.

Spinning out some catchy-as-a-cold cornet tunes that bring the likes of Sister Bliss to mind, it was hard not to be capitavated by what iodo were trying (and succeeding) to do - take different elements of the music they love and make it their own.

Halfway through the set and Dappy calls Dan Svarc, guitarist of Lipstick Entourage as well as solo musician, to the stage to take up second guitar duties for the rest of their set, conclusively heightening the band's sound and making it that bit richer.

As their set moves along we're treated to some older songs as well as some more of the brand new EP, including the brilliant 'Love Is Calenture' (featuring an excellent guitar solo at the end performed by Dappy where his hand seemingly turned into a humming bird) and a particularly standout instrumental track in the form of 'Pentagram'.

A couple of older songs later and we reach the climax of the show, another track that I know not the name of, beginning with psychadelic instrumentalisation before crashing into a furious closing two minutes, a chorus of "The Government don't care for you," provoking a lot of movement at the front, before leading into a thank you from the band to the audience and the other bands that played, one final massive applause, and the inevitable end of a night that showcased very unique talents in Lincoln that I, until now, had never knew existed.

- dane, lincolnbands.co.uk

...So on to the first of our Lincoln bands for this, special bands across the water Bridging the Gap event. Iodo create intelligent innovative music through a lap top, a bass guitar, a regular guitar and a cornet. An odd combination, that at first leaves you unsure of yourself.

Lo-fi beats create a platform for quieter understated guitar lines to grow and develop backed by a firm bass line. From nowhere the cornet sound wavers fragile and poignant then becomes more resonant heightening the tension. The four bring together hip hop elements, interwoven with jazz and break beat rhythms creating an ever changing tapestry of sound. Within minutes of starting Iodo have created a mood that trance like has captured each and every listener.

Despondent lyrics such as alienated everyone you know alone you're alone echo the mournful yet nostalgic cornet sound.

The phrase onion heart provides memorable imagery and suggests a poetic filmic side to Iodo.

Iodo take on another guise as junglist beats morph and melt with blurry fingered frenetic guitar breaks that have many whistling and cheering in appreciation.

Rachel and Dave from Kill Surf announce their love for Iodo's acid trip techno jazz sound as they describe it. This band would fare really well down at the lamp or at one of the more chilled out sessions at Adelphi.

They are currently promoting their third disc Walk On Role. I was lucky enough to get one of the four track EPs was delighted to find it came in the mini CD format neatly packaged in its own blue envelope...

...Afterwards I spoke with Brian and he told me he was most impressed with Ernest and Kill Surf City likewise was I with Iodo; a band with an unforgettable, distinctive style and sound...

- Michelle Dee, thisisull.com

Lincolnbands.co.uk - Bridging The Gap: Lincolnbands.co.uk meets Thisisull.com - 27/06/06

...'iodo' continue to show much promise but suffer tonight from a not so generous mix. However, they're both lyrically outstanding and musically irresistible so all concerns about the mix are soon forgotten. Kip Brown the laptop operator and vocalist must surely claim the coolest person of the evening award outdoing the proliferation of 'thisisull' T-Shirts in one fell swoop with his own Lincoln District Scout Band Tour '94 T-Shirt. Both the Pocknees' are musically beyond comparison this evening with the guitarist playing some superbly brutal solos and the bass player showing excellence in both time and feel and moreover concentration when the audience decide to excitedly clap along to a number, typically out of time. Without a doubt the band of the evening, the audience show tremendous enthusiasm for 'iodo' and you can be sure that iodo did the right thing in not playing an encore

- Dan45, lincolnbands.co.uk