It’s been eight months since Angine De Poitrine rocketed to internet virality off the back of a live KEXP set – which currently sits at 19 million views and is the 7th most viewed video on the channel. 

For the uninitiated, Angine De Poitrine are a French Canadian microtonal math rock duo whose sound is built on a mix of heavy guitar distortion, punchy bass grooves and impeccably tight drumming that ties it all together. The masked duo are completely anonymous, performing in character as 333 year old aliens that speak in their own made-up language

It’s clear from the off that Angine De Poitrine’s set is one of the most popular of the festival . I heard them in passing conversation numerous times, clocked more than a handful of polka-dotted outfits around the city and people started descending en masse upon Usher Hall as their set time drew nearer. 

20 minutes before the band were due to start, Usher Hall was already heaving and the anticipation was tangible. As I stand in the crowd awaiting their set, I can’t help but wonder how well their sound and aesthetic will transcribe to a big stage – especially the grandiose backdrop of the Usher Hall. However, my fears were quickly eschewed as guitarist Knh wanders out on stage to rapturous applause. 

A few moments later the band head straight into Angor – the final track on their most recent release Vol. 2. What starts as a simple, tom-heavy looping drum beat soon makes way for a layered collection of guitar and bass riffs – culminating in organised chaos. It’s honestly impressive to watch in person. Where live video edits will typically switch between both Knh and Klek, in person it’s easier to see just how much goes into looping and muting those multi-layered loops. As a drummer who really likes watching other drummers live, it was a rare occasion of being utterly transfixed by someone playing guitar. 

From Angor, Khn and Klek jumped straight into Yor Zarad. Considered by many as one of the most experimental songs on their latest album, the song sees both musicians trade the spotlight across a frenetic six minutes of erratic guitar riffs and angular drum playing culminating in a joyfully doomy climax. 

The Usher Hall crowd relished every moment of it, moving, dancing and cheering throughout as the anticipation of what’s to come steadily increases. Yor Zarad reaches its climax, ushering in the four-on-the-floor half-time guttural doom-laden riff that forces a grimace of approval from audience members – unsurprisingly, this is the moment the first mosh of many moshpits throughout the evening broke out. 

Between songs Khn and Klek each take a few moments to readjust, retune and hydrate when needed, occasionally interacting with the crowd. The power they hold in these moments is impressive considering communication is delivered through nothing but gestures, a made up alien language and random noises. Regardless, the crowd is unwavering in its commitment to the bit though, matching noises on command, mimicking Khn and Klek’s triangle hand symbols and responding with cheers to every minor moment. 

This is one of the things that impressed me most about Angine De Poitrine’s live show. Khn and Klek capture the imagination and passion of audiences in a distinctly sincere way and it’s something that shows in how the crowd responds to the band. It’s honestly quite unlike any show I’ve been to before and I think it’s one of the main reasons the band are still finding success more than six months after their initial viral moment. 

For everything I loved about finally seeing Angine De Poitrine live, there was one shortfall that I felt was detrimental to the experience. The sound at points fell short of what I would expect from a festival that primarily features alternative artists. Distortion and a lack of clarity made distinguishing the more intricate elements of the band’s sound difficult. It’s an issue that likely doesn’t sit with the band, and a quick Google search reveals that Usher Hall is known to have these sorts of issues. 

Aside from this though, Angine De Poitrine exceeded my expectations in every possible way. I was so wrapped up in the show that I’d completely lost track of time and before I knew it, the band were heading into their two of their most popular songs, FabienK & Sherpa, signalling that their time on stage was coming to an end. 

Unsurprisingly, the thumping, hip-moving groove of FabienK went over a treat with the crowd as everyone collectively got their groove on and sang “SEBASTIEN” in unison. Sherpa felt like a fitting way to end the set as the climax of the song is heavy, hurried and heady, signing off just over an hour of live music in a way best befitting a band tasked with being one of the main headliners during a psych fest. 

As soon as Sherpa finishes, an elation fills the room as 2,000 people simultaneously begin excitedly talking about the show they had just seen. I get caught in numerous conversations myself, conversing with people about our favourite moments through the set. A trending theme emerges in these passing conversations, Angine De Poitrine not only met expectations, but they exceeded them.

There are always questions around the authenticity and longevity of bands that rise to fame suddenly. But in reality, Angine De Poitrine’s fame has been well earned. The band started in 2022 and have perfected their concept, appearance and sound over the last four years. This is one of the main reasons they are such a force to be reckoned with live. 

If you get a chance to see them live, make sure you take it. 

Images: Angela Canavan

Words: Thomas Hughes