Coheed and Cambria at Koko

Coheed and Cambria is not your average rock band; they are here to tell you a story. The band’s entire back catalogue and future efforts are based on a storyline written by frontman Claudio Sanchez. 

The Amory Wars is a science-fiction tale which has developed into six studio albums, as well as live and special edition releases. The story has also resulted in a number of comic books and a full length novel. 

Don’t let the word concept put you off; the depth and power of their music easily stands alone in its own right and the band’s live performances are atmospheric, energetic and all together superb. 

Coheed and Cambria first surfaced in 2001. Hailing from New York, the band has been through a multitude of changes in line-up. The double album The Aftermath and their current tour both feature new bassist Zach Cooper, original drummer Josh Eppard, as well as long-standing guitarist Travis Stever and only member to have never left, vocalist Claudio Sanchez.

Thursday 8^th November saw the band perform the second of two live shows at KOKO London. The sold-out concert was attended by hoards of excited fans which packed out the sizeable venue, and the atmosphere was vibrating before the band had even stepped on stage. 

Coheed and Cambria began the show with a short acoustic introductory set, a perfect warm-up, though the crowd could barely contain its excitement as they launched into their more energetic songs. Domino the Destitute was a definite highlight of the evening with its anthemic properties, creating chaos within the audience as the band thrashed its almighty sound. 

A refreshing break from the sea of screaming rock bands of the moment, Coheed and Cambria has a softer, more melodic tone – hard hitting when necessary, but never gratuitously screamed out. Their unique sound is furthered more by the originality of Sanchez’s vocals: his eerie tone creates a wonderful sense of emotion through the lyrics which is perfectly balanced with the instrumental elements of the band.

Coheed and Cambria is definitely one of those bands that is even better live; the roughness and imperfections only make the performance more real to an audience. The balance between the acoustic moments and the full band ones emphasised the sense of their story and concept. 

The KOKO is a fantastic venue to see any band in, and the performance was complemented by a fabulous light show: a great show.

Ruth Page
Photos: Bartek Odias

For further information and future events visit Coheed and Cambria’s website here.

Watch the video for Domino the Destitute here: