Ut / Divorce / North American War @ Stereo, 28 September

It seems fitting that Ut’s first gig in 21 years sees support from two local acts influenced, in different ways, by the No Wave scene from which the New Yorkers first emerged in the late 70s. North American War’s sound reflects a similar obsession with swirling, treble-heavy riffs, although their songs have a precision that Ut readily eschew.

Divorce, too, have evolved into a remarkably focused unit. Abrasive, spiked and compellingly simple guitar lines are laid over brutally grinding bass and pummelling drums; imaginative shifts between levels of feedback and distortion mean that variations are mainly textural, rather than rhythmic or melodic. With the shouted vocals functioning essentially as an additional sonic element, the quartet’s sound manages to appropriate the familiar elements of hardcore to create something strikingly abstract.

Following Divorce’s blistering noise, the tentativeness of Ut’s droning twin-guitar dynamics feels almost alien; the sheer inventiveness of their sound emphasises the enduring originality of the mid-to-late 80s Blast First era. Tracks like Canker, which layer subtly-varying entangled guitars over an insistent rhythm, elaborate upon the sense of openness that the Velvet Underground brought to rock. Although the evening’s intensity and sharpness does begin to dissipate as the set progresses, all three acts tonight testify to the continuing creative potency of the No Wave movement – as well as to the sheer elasticity of the label.