The Bardo

Smashing Pumpkins. It’s an obvious comparison, and one I’m sure Queen Adreena’s second Underworld supports, The Bardo, are repeatedly infuriated by, but hey, if the black-glitter guitar strap fits…

Still, with an abundance of humid, thundery guitar lines and enigmatic moody bass, The Bardo fill the underworld with a whirlwind of edgy metal backed up by a breezy-bitter punk aftertaste. Full-on, dramatic, stormy and down-right dirty. Whipping over and encapsulating the temper of various current genres and smoothing them out with the sweet ‘n’ sour combined gushes of a gorgeously cliché female bassist, Laura, and an uncanny A. AntiProduct look-alike, *PD*.

Although, indulging in such musical episodes and putting in so much effort and concentration seems to take it’s toll, and The Bardo’s actual stage performance isn’t particularly awe-inspiring. It seems to be a hurdle that is very difficult for a lot of bands to overcome. Luckily for The Bardo, they have enough life, vigour and force behind the music to carry it all off. For the moment, at least.

The day after the gig, scouring the music shops and exchanges of London, I came across a CD by The Bardo… I very nearly bought it... But didnt. A sign that, perhaps, I’m not yet entirely convinced…