Location: EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney), Hackney Arts Centre

Date: 4th December 2019

Price: £20 in advance / £25 on the door

Dysfunctional, uncivilised and a little rough around the edges, Fat White Family are just like any other family, right? The band was first formed and founded by lead vocalist Lias Kaci Saoudi in Peckham in 2011 and have since been releasing music and gigging ever since. Other current members include, Saul Adamczewski on guitar and vocals, Nathan Saoudi on keyboards, Adam J. Harmer on guitar, Sam Toms on drums, Adam Brennan on bass and Alex White on saxophone.

Luckily for Londoners the band took over Hackney’s EartH for four consecutive nights and they tore up the place. Fat White Family has just realised their new record ‘Serfs Up!’ and whilst they did play a number of tracks from it, they did also treat older fans to lots of their older material. At one point, a strange man in a funky hat strutted out on to the stage and introduced himself as ‘Uncle Marv’, after which the mismatched family stumbled out with their instruments in tow ready to wreak havoc on the Dalston venue. 

Consisting of a hefty seven members, the band has a significant stage presence, and crowd presence – the lead vocalist clearly very much enjoyed a crowd surf. They kicked off the evening with Auto Neutron from their 2014 album Champagne Holocaust, followed by fan favourite I Am Mark E Smith.

“Shane McGowan’s tying my shoes

I got Jerry Lee Lewis in a headlock

You spend fingering your ideals

Baby all I ever found’s the sweet spot”

Their lyrics and their reverb heavy sound are raw and seedy – albeit in a rehearsed and slick fashion. Frontman and lead vocalist Lias Kaci Saoudi’s waistcoat was ripped to shreds after his multiple descents into the riotous crowd and he spent the latter half of the set topless, after spending some stumbling about the stage trying to remove the waistcoat both awkwardly and unsuccessfully.

Other tracks played throughout their set included Touch the Leather, Cream and Whitest Boy on the Beach. But the true standout single from their new album, and really of the entire night was Feet. It starts slow but builds into something moody and hypnotic; the background vocals introduce an eery holiness to the song – which is only enhanced by the crass violins.

“Down here in the darkness, we assume the best

Refuse every kindness, swallow your distress

Baby beats his chest so that he can hide

That soaring precipice that he's passing off as pride”

The band did all disappear off stage rather suspiciously at one point, and one of the guitarists braved it solo with a song. After a few minutes the band slowly trickled back on to the stage and joined in with the track… perhaps this is why they have earnt themselves a reputation for having rather ‘shambolic sets’. This was by no means their first gig, but they continue to demonstrate their characteristically Fat White Family raw edge – and it would probably be quite boring if they did.

#FLODown: EartH Hackney is a really interesting venue and has a lot more to offer than just very intimate gigs. In 2018, the team that brought us the gorgeous Village Underground venue in Shoreditch transformed the former Savoy Cinema into three new spaces: EartH Hall, EartH Theatre, and EartH Kitchen. Visit their website for more information.

Words and Photography by Mollie Kate Cohen