A beautifully absurd night of camaraderie

Some gigs leave you nitpicking and dissecting every riff or drumbeat. Some make you want to debate and some make you want to talk about musicianship.

Angine De Poitrine’s math rock performance on KEXP live session broke the internet earlier this year, and this week they bought their hypnotic microtonal tour to an end at London’s Troxy.

It was certainly one of those nights that leave you with a sense of bewilderment at what you’d just witnessed.

As I cast my eyes over the crowd that completely engulfed Troxy’s carpeted floor, something stood out to me.

Laughter and smiles were being exchanged in every corner, strangers were coming together to unite as one audience and it felt like everyone was there to have a good time.

On the stage, the band encourage this kind of symbolism. Musically, they have the ability to hold a crowd at the end of their oddly configured fingertips, but between the songs something more sonic takes shape.

Without uttering a single word of any worldly language, the duo (Khn and Klek) dictate a sea of cultish symbolism, clapping, cheering and general tomfoolery. Some bands can only dream of having this level of hypnotism over their crowd.

For all the complexities and discourse about Angine de Poitrine, what techniques they use and how to label their music, in the room it was mystically uncomplicated.

Nobody in that London crowd was writing a full music thesis or trying to work out what made it tick. Everyone allowed themself to be swept away and enjoy the moment, in the moment.

This is exactly the spectacle live music should be. Bewilderment at what is unfolding before your eyes. Just turn up, allow yourself to be lost in the moment, and go home with a real sense of joy at the show you’d just witnessed.

Musically, the Québécois duo bring a diverse array of techniques to the table. Khn’s jagged riffs steal the limelight. His bare feet (Expect for the white and black painted polka dots) glide over his pedal, pinpointing loops and effects as if he’d done it a thousand times. The crowd were at the mercy of his sophisticated patterns and rhythms.

Klek’s fast, battling drums sync perfectly with the guitar work, as Khn loops between guitar and bass.

With 2 albums under their belts , Vol. 1 and Vol. II, the pair ripped through a set that combined their greatest hits, starting with ‘Angor’ and ‘Yor Zarad’ and culminating in crowd favourites ‘Sarniezz’, ‘Fabienk’ and ‘Sherpa’.

The night consisted of crowd call-and-response, alienesque cries and triangular hand gestures that match Khn’s pyramid-shaped head.

Whatever the music is defined as, and whatever their live shows have become, a huge array of music fans are missing out if they haven’t been inducted into the Angine de Poitrine cult.

In the room, it feels like one big family, thriving on the madness that unfolds in front of their eyes. It’s impossible to divert your eyes away from the scene in front of you.

There’s more chance, with a run of sold out shows to see out the year, but a whole host of new 2027 dates announced this week.

Angine de Poitrine concert dates:

OCTOBER

21 – Paris, FR – Élysée Montmartre (SOLD OUT)
22 – Paris, FR – Élysée Montmartre (SOLD OUT)
24 – Lyon, FR – L’Épicerie Moderne (SOLD OUT)
25 – Antwerp, BE – Trix (SOLD OUT)
27 – Berlin, DE – Astra (SOLD OUT)
28 – Hamburg, DE – Molotow (SOLD OUT
29 – Heidelberg, DE – Metropolink (SOLD OUT)
31 – Amsterdam, NL – London Calling (SOLD OUT) †

NOVEMBER

1 – Groningen, NL – VERA (SOLD OUT)
5 – Toronto, ON – History (SOLD OUT)
6 – Quebec City, QC – Impérial Bell (SOLD OUT)
14 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda (SOLD OUT)
16 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel (SOLD OUT)
17 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel (SOLD OUT)
18 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel (SOLD OUT)
19 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner (SOLD OUT)
20 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall (SOLD OUT)
22 – Mexico City, MX – Corona Capital CDMX †
25 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern (SOLD OUT)
27 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl (SOLD OUT)
29 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)
30 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (SOLD OUT)

DECEMBER

1 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (SOLD OUT)
2 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (SOLD OUT)
4 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern (SOLD OUT)
5 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern (SOLD OUT)
7 – San Francisco, CA – The Castro Theatre (SOLD OUT)
8 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater (SOLD OUT)
10 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
11 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
12 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo (SOLD OUT)
13 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)

MARCH 2027

4 – Melbourne, VIC – Forum Melbourne
6 – Meredith, VIC – Golden Plains †
7 – Adelaide, SA – WOMADelaide  †
9 – Sydney, NSW – Enmore Theatre
13 – Buenos Aires, AR – Lollapalooza Argentina †
14 – Santiago, CL – Lollapalooza Chile †
19 – São Paulo, BR – Lollapalooza Brasil †
21 – Bogota, CO – Estéreo Picnic †
28 – Calgary, AB  – Grey Eagle Event Centre
29 – Calgary, AB  – Grey Eagle Event Centre
31 – Ottawa, ON – History Ottawa

APRIL 2027

1 – Ottawa, ON – History Ottawa
6 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
7 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre

MAY 2027

2 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
3 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
6 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
7 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!
8 – Nashville, TN – The Truth
10 – Dallas, TX – The Bomb Factory
11 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
15 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom

JUNE 2027

3-5 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound  †
5 – Paris, FR – We Love Green †
12 – Neuchâtel, CH – Festi’neuch †
14 – Milan, IT – Magnolia Estivo
18-20 – Scheessel, DE – Hurricane Festival †
18-20 – Neuhausen Ob Eck, DE – Southside Festival †
24 – Halifax, UK – The Piece Hall
28 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
29 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton

JULY 2027

18 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
30 – Chicoutimi, QC  – Zone Portuaire

Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ

Photography by Photosbylorna from Brighton Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus