Live: M O T H X R @ The Borderline, London

by | Nov 26, 2015

MOTHXR live at the Borderline

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

The down to earth new-wave-soul-electronic Brooklyn-based band M O T H X R (formerly known as Mother) played a sold out gig on a cold Monday evening at Soho’s The Borderline. It’s the second time that London has seen them recently and now they have an even greater legion of listeners.

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

Penn Badgley serving as frontman, with friends Simon Ocroft (guitar), Darren Will (keyboards) and Jimmy Giannopolous (bass) have great stage charisma and this comes across particularly strongly in songs Easy, Victim and Centerfold.

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

Penn started the set with Stranger, an eerie and sensual song released this year on a compilation album by their current label, Kitsuné Records. The crowd swaying from side to side were fascinated by his natural theatrics and slinky performance.  His compelling vocal range is set to inspire love making….perhaps?  Of course Penn Badgley is also a well known actor for his roles in Gossip Girl and Greetings From Tim Buckley.

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

Simon’s funky guitar and layered beats are blended with synth pieces and form the base for Penn’s deeper and rougher vocals in Centerfold, a feature that really differentiates from the falsetto in other tunes.

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

M O T H X R at The Borderline, 23/11/2015 (Thanira Rates Photograpy)

Fight the Feeling was also added to their short London set. Yes…short… but promising. Afterwards the gig the band were hanging out with fans and giving attention to every single one who approached them. M O T H X R have been playing live, touring in quite a few countries and making singles for more than a year… without a record released! Yeah… M O T H X R is just getting started…and is here to stay.

The band had a busy week, playing in Mexico City at the Corona Capital and releasing new single Touch from their 11 songs album Centerfold (available on the 26th of February 2016)

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000OIIm8j59AFM” g_name=”MOTHXR” f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”t” f_fullscreen=”t” f_show_watermark=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_mtrx=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”600″ height=”450″ f_constrain=”t” bgcolor=”#ffffff” bgtrans=”t” btype=”new” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” twoup=”t” trans=”flip” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_topbar=”f” f_bbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_smooth=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” ]

Photography & review by Thanira Rates. Thanira has her own great site here: www.thanirarates.com

M O T H X R at The Borderline, London, 23/11/2015

These Wicked Rivers (Olivia Johnson)

These Wicked Rivers Release Acoustic Version Of ‘Rise’ Ahead Of UK Headline Tour

These Wicked Rivers have released an acoustic version of their latest single, Rise, offering a fresh take on one of the key tracks from their recently released third album, Fire And Folklore. The Derbyshire rockers, who topped the UK Rock Album Chart with the record, are preparing to hit the road for an extensive run of UK headline dates, beginning in Newcastle on 19th November.

Ryan Adams @ Roundhouse - iTunes Festival 2014 (Kalpesh Patel)

Ryan Adams Announces New Album ‘Animal’ And Shares Lead Single ‘Amethyst’

Ryan Adams has announced the release of his new album, Animal, a ten-track collection arriving on 12th February 2027 through his own PAX-AM label. The announcement, made on his 52nd birthday, comes alongside the release of lead single Amethyst, offering the first taste of a record that finds the acclaimed singer-songwriter embracing a largely solo creative approach.

Harun Tekin (Press)

Harun Tekin Reimagines The Beatles, Kate Bush And Elton John On Debut Solo EP ‘A Dictionary Of Night’

Harun Tekin, lead vocalist of Turkey’s biggest alternative rock band mor ve ötesi, has released his debut solo EP, A Dictionary Of Night. The six-track collection sees the singer step into a more intimate musical space, reinterpreting songs by The Beatles, Kate Bush and Elton John, alongside three selections from the Turkish musical canon.

Royal Blood @ Brixton Academy (Abigail Shii)

Royal Blood Unveil Final Preview Of New Album ‘Dead Company’ With ‘Mother Never Told You’

Royal Blood have released Mother Never Told You, the fourth and final single to be unveiled ahead of their highly anticipated new album, Dead Company, which arrives this Friday via Warner Records.

Bif Naked (Press)

Bif Naked Swaps Punk Rock For Peak-Time Electro House On New Single ‘Hey Little Frankie’

Canadian rock icon Bif Naked is stepping onto the dancefloor with Hey Little Frankie, a bold new single that sees her trade punk-rock guitars for high-voltage electro house. Produced by Jason Darr, the track marks a striking change of direction, driven by a pounding 130 BPM bassline and aggressive synths designed for peak-time club sets.

Twenty Flight Rockers @ 100 Club (Adrian Hextall)

Twenty Flight Rockers Make A Triumphant Return To London After 39 Years At The 100 Club

It has been 39 years since Twenty Flight Rockers last played in London, but the wait is finally over. Persuaded that the time is right for a reunion, the band have returned for a short run of shows celebrating the release of Live ’85, the live album originally intended to be their debut release. For those of us who remember seeing them in their heyday, this is a chance to revisit a band whose rockabilly-fuelled energy has clearly lost none of its appeal. I can hardly believe it has been almost four decades since I last saw them perform.

RAYE @ All Points East 2023 (Dnieper Cruz)

RAYE Brings Her Mercury Prize Winning ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE’ To BST Hyde Park 2027

RAYE is set to make her BST Hyde Park debut next summer, joining the 2027 line-up as its second headliner. The South London-born singer-songwriter will take to the Great Oak Stage on Saturday 10th July, with rising star Sienna Spiro confirmed as a very special guest. Further artists are still to be announced.

Lip Critic @ Revenge - Mutations Festival 2026 (Owen Mills)

Mutations Festival 2026 – Friday: From Harp Strings To Bedlam And Everything In Between

Ever since first attending Mutations in 2022, I have described it as a more manageable, densely packed version of The Great Escape. Since the festival condensed into two days, that description has become even more apt. Spanning multiple genres and a good selection of the city’s venues, it is a no-brainer for local live music fans looking to broaden their horizons and discover their next favourite band.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing