Polyphia gets ‘Saucy’ at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Article Written and Photos by Fred Stonell
“We make rap music through guitars” – Polyphia. No better words could describe the music these Texan boys make. Through a combination of elements from hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and progressive metal, Tim Henson (Guitar), Scott LePage (Guitar), Clay Gober (Bass) and Clay Aeschliman (Drums) have created a sound that is unlike anything out there today. Starting out posting their original music on their YouTube channel, things quickly picked up for Polyphia and ultimately lead to the release of their EP ‘Inspire’ in 2013. Since then, the group has released four full-length albums, including ‘Muse’ in 2014, ‘Renaissance’ in 2016, ‘New Levels New Devils’ in 2018, and most recently, ‘Remember That You Will Die’ in 2022.
It can sometimes be tricky for instrumental artists to convert their music into live shows, however knowing Polyphia it was no surprise to me to see the queue to get into O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire trailing around the corner. The style and swag they bring to gigs are incomparable, and after experiencing one yourself you’ll understand why London sold out so easily. Picture a venue, absolutely packed to the rafters with fans ranging from scene kids to elitists, all singing along to the riffs Tim and Scott played. To say the crowd hung onto every note would be an understatement; these technical prodigies had people dancing and crowd-surfing without having to sing a single syllable. Around the halfway mark, LePage had the genius idea of playing this fun little game called ‘Sing the riff’. This went exactly how you’d expect, with either guitarist playing part of a Polyphia riff and then leaving the crowd to chant the other half. I’d say it was a testament to Henson’s incredible songwriting ability to create such technical, but catchy and memorable instrumental songs for entire venues to sing on command.
If I had to put Polyphia’s headline show in London into one word, it would simply be: fun. Everyone (and I mean everyone – I even caught security bobbing their heads at one point) was vibing to the music, letting loose, and allowing these 4 massively skilled Americans to take them for a musical ride of a lifetime. Crazy leads, funky basslines, and the grooviest of drums await you at a live Polyphia show, so don’t miss an opportunity to see them if you can (and get learning those riffs!). You can catch Polyphia on either their EU + UK Spring 2023 tour or their USA ‘Remember That You Will Die Tour’ from September to November 2023. If you get the chance to go, make sure you do. You won’t want to skip on “America’s Band”.
Find Polyphia on social media below!
