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Oxford-based English rockers Foals played a tiny in-store show at Rough Trade Records, just off East London's famous Brick Lane to celebrate the release of their fourth studio record What Went Down.

Frontman Yannis Philippakis and his merry band tore through a six-song set of material both from their latest release as well as a smattering of hits from previous releases.

Opening with What Went Down track Snake Oil, Foals ploughed straight into Holy Fire hit My Number to a huge cheer from the crowd.

My personal favourite from the new record, after only a couple of listens, Mountain at My Gates was next and had the audience, new to the track, bouncing along.

Praising the East London crowd, Philippakis said that the Rough Trade show was "the best in-store gig I think we've played, so thank you". "They're usually so clinical, it's like going to the dentist", to which an audience member shouted "fuck the dentist!".

He also joked that he'd planned an extensive dance routine he wouldn't be able to share with the crowd due to the lack of space of the tiny stage, which had bassist Walter Gervers shoved onto a far edge, and his bass amps unceremoniously stacked off stage.

Holy Fire track Inhaler made an appearance and the crowd took off with a full on mosh pit emerging in the tiny record store floor space.

Known for taking his crowd engagement to extremes, the 29-year-old didn't skimp at the in-store, precariously hauling himself onto a rather unstable PA stack a couple of times before walking out onto (yes onto!) the crowd.

After closing the set with new track What Went Down the hungry crowd screamed for the band to return. And straying from Rough Trade form, the Oxford lads obliged, returning to the stage and ripping through fan favourite Two Steps, Twice from debut album Antidotes.

Foals played:

Snake Oil

My Number

Mountain at My Gates

Give it All

Inhaler

What Went Down

Encore:
Two Steps, Twice

Prague Portraits: La Petite Sonja and Hank J. Manchini by Robert Carrithers

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It was a warm summer day when I met Sonja and Hank to do the photo session. They were both nervous about playing at a festival in London. They had no idea how they were going to get there with all of their instruments. I told them that they have enough loyal fans here in the Czech Republic that would probably be more than happy to drive them there and back. Sonja and Hank play in a band called Kill The Dandies! I first saw Sonja and Hank playing on stage with their former band Moimir Papalescu & The Nihilsts in 2003. Sonja was singing wildly in the mic with her hair going all over the place and Hank played guitar while making deep low guttural sounds in the mic. The band was quite special. They were one of the few Czech bands that broke away and developed a sort of international fame, but sometimes when a band starts to get famous they break up. Why? I don´t know, but it sure seems to go that way sometimes! The band broke up in 2007.

Sonja and Hank being the creative resourceful couple that they are, did not take this lying down. They regathered their energies and formed Kill The Dandies! with Richard Fischer on guitar, harmonica and vocals, Wratislav Placheta on drums, Martin Horejsi on bass (Martin Růžička used to play with band. He played bass and steel guitar on the band´s new album) and of course La Petite Sonja - vocal, keyboard, synthesizer and Hank J. Manchini - vocal, guitar, maracas, lap steel, and synthesizer. The band has been together for three years now. They have been playing lots in Czech Republic and touring Europe. They have surprised quite a lot of people with their unique sound. It is a mix of sixties garage rock with a Cramps style of psychotic rock and roll, mixed with a lot of rawness of Hanks voice that reminds one of Lux Interior, but then Sonja starts to sing and her voice is a cross between a Japanese pop singer ala Shogun Knife and some unworldly alien. Steve Morell best described them as psychedelic western rock and roll. They have just released their first album "I saw White Fields" (featuring Steve Morell) produced by legendary Flying Dutch Bert Neven on Berlin‘s BLASS Music / FREIBANK, distributed by Pale Music Int.

Kill The Dandies have developed quite a following. I last saw them play at the tribute concert for Rowland S. Howard. I filmed the concert and interviewed Sonja and Hank for Richard Lowenstein´s documentary about Rowland S. Howard. They put on a great show. We did the above photo after a lot of walking around and deciding it best to take a relaxed photo of both them on a nice sunny day along the Vltava River rather than in a dark damp practice studio room. Sonja, Hank and band did get to London and they played at the festival. As a result of playing in London their album is now being distributed by Rough Trade.They are happy Kill The Dandies! If they are playing near you, do yourself a favor and see them!

The Magpie Salute: acoustic set at Rough Trade East on the release of their album ‘High Water I’. What a band! Love them. by Greeny (Flamenco Sun)

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health by spencer hickman

Vampire Weekend by spencer hickman

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Stage set up for Vampire Weekend @ Rough Trade East

health by spencer hickman

Mumford & Sons by Masatoo

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Wolf Alice @ Rough Trade East by Something For Kate

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Ellie Rowsell

The Ellie Rowsell-led 4-piece alternative rockers from North London played a short, eight-song, set at the Rough Trade East record store to coincide with the release of their long-awaited debut studio record My Love Is Cool which is out this week and which I highly recommend you pick up!

A dynamic mix of tracks, My Love Is Cool demonstrates the diverse nature of a band so young, Rowsell’s screaming along with the heavy closing bass line on Giant Peach contrasting against the pleasing harmonies of silky soft Freazy. Drummer Joel Amery takes over vocal duties and plays acoustic guitar on the melancholy Swallowtail demonstrating the band’s mixed dynamic.

Touted as the next big thing, the young quartet didn't disappoint as they tore through tracks from My Love Is Cool including Fluffy, You're A Germ and live favourite Bros.

The East London crowd gave back in kind, creating the heaviest mosh pit I've seen at a record store with the front row practically pushed onto the small stage which simply encouraged the band to play louder and harder.

This young band have worked hard to put out their debut and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. This week they’ll play The Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival but in years to come expect to see them progress quickly up the bill.

The full set played was:

My Love Is Cool

Your Love's Whore

You're a Germ

The Wonderwhy

Lisbon

Giant Peach

Bros

Fluffy

Catch Wolf Alice play the Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival this Friday ahead of a UK tour later in the year.

health by spencer hickman

Superchunk at Rough Trade, Brooklyn by Joseph Krings

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