The Vex

"There's a band from London called The Vex, who are by far and away the best live band I've seen in a long time. They do thrashy, Beatles-y, punky, modern stuff. It's furious and really alive and just amazing to watch." - Carl Barat

Just when Wembley got Killing Joke to OPEN for the Mission and the Cult and you thought all hope was lost, here comes another little unpretentious gig from a little unpretentious band to show us London is still the place to be to nurture your love for music. Another opener, introducing a bill of four at the tiny Camden Barfly, The Vex entertain a crowded room at 7.45pm on a MONDAY evening; the crowd is clearly familiar with the band and its tunes, as a man and a woman dancing like there’s no tomorrow in the front soon involve everyone near, and no one seems shy when sing along is required.

Immediately The Vex show they have the tunes, the skills and the confidence to aim for greatness. Think the best Libertines and some vintage Iggy Pop, a dash of the Strokes and a tiny hint of Joy Division; let their catchy sound get to you and be ready for a surprising showcase of loud distorted guitars right at the end: I never thought you could get so much out of a lousy seven songs set. Opener The Revolutionaries was my favourite out of the three tracks selection available on their social networks when first listening to them, but now it’s hard to crown a winner; Invictus acquires a new edge live, and never-heard-before tunes like Stick to your guns glue to your ears and find a comfy place in your head with incredible ease.

I didn’t know of the very existence of The Vex until less than 24 hours ago, but it took them roughly half hour to get me hooked and, judging from the vibe in the room tonight, I’m not the only one. Catch them live at a venue near you, but don’t wait too long: there may be no space left to dance in the front, and that, trust me, would be a shame. - Cristina Massei of Sonics Rocks

As we all know music like all art is purely subjective when it comes to what’s good and what’s crap. In some cases though there are bands where no discussion is required, no pub debating about set lists and envelope pushing barrier breaking, instead a simple nod of appreciation among the crowd that confirms that everyone is feeling the same thing, pure elation and good ol’ fashioned luck of the draw that they’ve been at the right place and the right time when the new wave finally broke.

This is the feeling I get when I watch The Vex play, the outright passion in their playing is above anything as petty as showing off and far above aimless strumming while posing for another pointless MySpace photo (I know! Who the hell even uses MySpace any more?) It’s all about the ‘moment’ and if you blink you’ll miss it. You’re either with them 100% or you simply don’t get it and if you are in the team of the latter then you never will. Influences are interwoven throughout their songs although nothing ever falls to the side of pastiche or copycat. Not since The Libertines early days has a group planted their flag so deep into the ground and proclaimed their arrival on the London scene.

Their debut single ‘Martyr’ released on the 1st March is quick, sharp and with fewer wasted notes than a Ramones guitar lesson and clocking in at a fat trimming 1 min 59 it’s a track that hasn’t got time to waste itself on extended outros or face melting guitar solos, this is a sonic hit and run!

Inspired by the recent Pussy Riot court case in Russia The Vex are carrying the torch and tradition of groups such as The Clash without resorting to the empty sixth form political posturing of their later days, instead they are providing a soundtrack to the day-to-day news stories without trying to “bring down the government man!”, instead they’ll just provide the soundtrack while it falls all by itself. Get it. - Chris Lancaster