Thee Oh Sees

June 5, 2010

As I walk into a sold out show at The Luminaire, the first thing that hits me is the heat. Standing in that tiny room on the eve of what has been one of the most swelteringly humid days in London since last summer, the air is heavy and salty as Thee Oh Sees are tuning up to the sound of anticipatory cheers and whistles from the crowd. Singer and mastermind John Dwyer greets the crowd with “It is hot in here” before launching the band into 50 minutes of frantic and totally fuzzed out garage/psych shredders that feels right at home being played amongst the haze of thick heat blanketing an ever more uncomfortable audience.

Consisting of only two guitars, a minimal drum kit and a backing singer, Thee Oh Sees create a tremendous sound that doesn’t sound like it should be coming from so few instruments. Their pounding basslines (played on a guitar) have an almost hypnotic effect when twinned with the primal beats being smashed out of the drums. Then there is Dwyer’s crazed guitar playing, covered in vintage echo and fuzz, that just sonically batters everyone within earshot. When the band kick into ‘Enemy Destruct’ from their 2009 album Help, the crowd go wild and the raw power of the band is put on full show for everyone to see. The opening chords of ‘I Was Denied’ propels the first few rows of fans into a mass pogo and there is even a stage diver. Not usual fare for shows at The Luminaire, but then that’s the true spirit of Thee Oh Sees – their music inspires energy.

Half an hour of unhinged thrashing later and we are treated to a rendition of ‘Warm Slime’, the 13-minute title track of the band’s newest album. By this time, the band are drenched in sweat and the 10-minute instrumental jam session, punctuated by the odd shrill yelp down the microphone, begins to grate a little, but only due to the ovenlike conditions in the venue.

Thee Oh Sees play like their lives depend on it. The energy is fantastic throughout the night and is rarely seen at small gigs around London, especially with trendy US bands that the majority of the crowd have never seen before. The band tears through their set in true garage rock fashion, not letting the pace drop for a moment. No slow songs are played tonight, despite the fact they have many on offer. There is something about this band: their hearts are in the right place and they do it for the love of music. Their prolific album-every-six-months release schedule shows this and makes them a band that you can really get into. Although their sound is somewhat recycled from the ’60′s garage scene, it really doesn’t matter, as they can put on a great show.

The Saturdays

Girl band The Saturdays have released details of their first headline UK tour, which is taking place this summer.

Their meteoric rise to fame has produced four top ten singles and a top ten debut album. Not bad going for a group who weren’t even on pop’s radar this time last year.

For a mere £20, you can catch the girls at the following venues in June:

Fri 5th - Oxford New Theatre                            
Sat 6th - Nottingham Royal Concert hall              
Mon 8th - Glasgow Clyde Auditorium                     
Tues 9th - Newcastle City Hall                 
Wed 10th - Norwich UEA                                      
Fri 12th - Ipswich Regent                                     
Sat 13th - Cambridge Corn Exchange                   
Sun 14th – Bristol Colston Hall
Tues 16th - Reading Hexagon                                 
Wed 17th - Southend Cliffs Pavilion            
Fri 19th - Manchester Apollo                                        
Sat 20th - Wolverhampton Civic Hall                          
Sun 21st – Southampton Guildhall                                               
Wed 24th – London HMV Hammersmith Apollo                    
Thur 25th – Brighton Dome                                                
Sat 27th - Sheffield City Hall

Tickets are available through us by clicking this link.

The Hidden Masters

March 6th, 2009

This was a great show from a band that deserve a bright future. Mentally, this review’s been written and re-written a number of times trying to properly convey that fact but basically that’s the bare truth of it.

Having only two songs up on Hidden Masters’ MySpace at the moment my initial thought was that, like so many bands of their ilk, that would be it as far as originality in the live set and we’d be treated to a bunch of authentically rendered covers, albeit maybe some obscure ones. How wrong I was. Not a cover version in sight, just 10 or more (yeah OK, I lost count) tracks of their own devising, running pretty much the full gamut of sixties rock-styles and on into the very early seventies. Whilst bearing a passing physical resemblance to The Pretty Things their sound jangles, riffs, hollers and croons across an eclectically groovy spectrum and they never put a foot wrong. 

In a just world, musical taste-wise, their sound would rival Bloc Party’s for interesting “the kids” as it’s got pace, energy and great tunes so standing still whilst they’re playing is pretty much a crime. Unfortunately the audience here were bizarrely unresponsive on the dancing front, a trait inherent in the sixties scene whereby new sounds are respected but only originals seem to trigger dancefloor antics. World domination does not though seem to be their raison d’etre but if they can keep producing work of the quality on offer tonight then they’ll manage to keep themselves happy and cultivate a loyal and devoted fan-base. Keep an eye out for their debut album which is, I believe, in the final stages of post-production (and in need of a cover). 

Having served time in groups such as Bangtwister and The Needles, they’ve a decent historical pedigree that’s clear in their tight musicianship and stage confidence – the rest was a practice, as The Hidden Masters they’re ready to reveal their true nature and take on all-comers. Their March 19th show at Glasgow’s Stereo is a must-see if you’ve ever called yourself a music-lover. 

A quick mention needs also to be made in recognition of Angus and Tall Paul of Bubblegum Boogaloo for continuing to keep the scene alive and providing a live outlet for bands of this quality.

July 6th 2007

In a city that never sleeps, for a 12.30am stage time you need an outfit that can create intrigue and give off energy in the same quantity and there is probably not a new band around today, as well qualified in those stakes as Brooklyn, New York duo Shy Child.

Incongruous, but energetic and captivating, skirting towards the funk disco rock of The Rapture and swinging back into a range of Whirlwind Heat musical spasticity and rawness, keeping the crowd on their toes. ‘Drop The Phone’ stands out for the lurking vocals of Pete Cafarella that have more than a hint of Eamonn Hamilton (Brakes) to them. The catchy Friday night flavour is conjured up with ease, ‘The Noise Won’t Stop’ and it is this number that will win over trendy folk, like many of those in attendance tonight.

Those who thought that The Horrors had energy and a slightly off-kilter slant, but wanted them to go further and then further again, stand by looking impressed and shed inhibitions like a hermit crab sheds its shell. Cafarella’s keytar coaxing has broadness, range and more than enough volume to match the shattering beats belted out by percussionist, Nate Smith.

Also, sampling has been turned into an art-form to make this duo bold to the point of garish. The seeds they scattered in support of Klaxons recently are growing like weeds, uncompromising and taking the direction you would least suspect. Given the fact that the plush decor, adding to the quaintness of Koko attracts visitors just to experience the place alone, the crowd are focused and largely into it all the way through.

This duo is set to be one of the surprises of the year, possessing determination and an eye for the unorthodox. People are becoming ever-ready to shed the straight-jacket of organization that is increasingly controlling our lives and Shy Child is definitely all for that.

July 26th 2007

Getting the citizens of Warrington to close down their Arctic Monkeys MySpace page for one night and, to venture out in support of the growing opportunity to see a vibrant local band, is a thankless task on a Saturday night. Therefore, to ask this of them on a Thursday evening is as worthwhile as asking Amy Winehouse if she’d like a glass of orange juice.

However, when you’re an outfit like the evergreen local lads of Z-List Tears, who have had more injuries than Michael Owen, a challenge like this is something that you simply thrive upon. The customary gap at the front of the viewing and dancing area is filled with an intrigued but slightly lethargic collection of adventurous young gatherers. The interest picks up immediately when the well chosen, epic opener ‘Seed’ scatters atmospheric, drilling percussion, testing the sound system immediately.

The gregarious Bungle’s vocals that often speak of a deeper wisdom than your average run-of-the-mill rock band, subside into the cacophonous drive of the instrumentals and a winding vibe seeps in. This nods towards Thin Lizzy, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Jane’s Addiction. Immediately taking note of waning attention spans with the midnight hour approaching, ‘Warning Signs’ is the indie rock grind that allows Bungle’s lighter vocals to illuminate the despondency of the lyrics. The set is largely an experimental one, as new offerings like the Red Hot Chili Peppers spirited ‘Fuel For The Fire’, show that this ranging quartet are still growing musically.

This is something that the vibrantly rhythmic bass-lines of the colourful Al Blackmore, demonstrates through the dynamic, bluesy loser ‘DAGADUGADA’. The relentless drive continues for Z-List Tears and you sense that they won’t have to go much further forward before label bigwigs start trying to pick them up.

Pre-purchased alcohol is guzzled frantically, as revellers stand in an increasing queue waiting to be searched. 15:45 approaches and the cutting comments at this inconvenience become aggravated because, an agonising 400 yards away the man of the moment Mark Ronson is whipping out whirling mixes and funky tunes. Naturally, tracks from the Version album dominate, but ‘Ooh Wee’ from 2003’s Caught By The Fuzz album gives the main-stage a bright disco lift.

Technical difficulties blight the chances of building up that adventurous and lively vibe. However, guests galore keep the freshness and stage action ticking over. Daniel Merriweather joins Ronson onstage to finish things off with the sprightly and rejuvenated The Smiths song ‘Stop Me’. For those fired on by premature booze consumption, Kelis raises the energy levels with her feistiness and attitude gushing drum ‘n’ bass and R&B fusion. ‘Milkshake’ stirs the confidence in the females, to cock ‘n’ strut along with the effervescent leading lady and feisty fervour prevails to leave you feeling like you’ve been dominated.

One of the slight let-downs last year was the rumour circling that the sound was turned down in the tents. Ladytron immediately put these rumours to bed, when they shake the MySpace Futurism Stage with their robotic, off-kilter pop and electro leanings. Vocals have never really been the focus of Ladytron, but Helen Marnie seems to have an added edge this evening, possessing the clarity and pitch of a combination of Kristin Hersch (Throwing Muses) and Debbie Harry.

‘Destroy Everything You Touch’ displays an anarchic thrust and a fatter synth led sound. Their stage presence, as ever, relies upon a distant mystique and is maybe the reason why this their first appearance, at what was for years their home festival? The prize for best crowd buoyancy, if one existed, would undoubtedly go to the commercial beat-ster and trance flirter, Marco V.

The Dutchman’s uplifting and masterful beat building sends the crowd at the Cream and Goodgreef Stage into ruptures of euphoria. ‘More Than A Life Away’ sticks out for its intergalactic kick and distorted vocal approach, serving as a reminder of Marco’s catchy potency.

The burning question to be answered this year surrounds the appearance of Nu-Ravers, New Young Pony Club. How will the old-skool Cream faithful respond to this craze? Well, the modest turnout in the Chibuku Stage suggests that they’re not quite ready to nurture this new baby. Given the lofty stage position and its distance away from the crowd, the electric personality of Tahita Bulmer doesn’t connect easily with gatherers. The laid back lounge touch of ‘Grey’ makes full use of her clear, streetwise vocal lag. The provocative and punchy single ‘Ice Cream’ creates only a stir in the crowd as opposed to the ruptures it probably created at the Reading/Leeds Festivas.

A slot on the Ciderhouse Tent with its welcoming beer garden shows that you are going places. Disco funksters The Whip, with their forceful percussion approach fattening out the whirling beats, go against the commonly held view that the tents here aren’t really set up for live bands. Veterans Groove Armada use an old skool approach, featuring an MC stirring the crowd up and classic, posing tunes like ‘I See You Baby (Shaking That Ass)’ to get the main-stage jiving.

In contrast, the Chemical Brothers perform in fits and starts; even the brazen rave anthem of ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ doesn’t hit its usual peak. They seem to fall into a bit of a lazy groove after the Budweiser Ad-famed ‘Galvanize’. Pendulum seem the perfect act to kick off the frenzy in the tents and even pick up where the Chems should have left off. It must have been Pendulum’s driving drum ‘n’ bass edge of their early days that earned them such a prestigious slot, but they seem reluctant to return to it. A laid back lounge approach and flitting jumps to synth led frenzies still seems to please, though.

Whilst the line-up was not as strong as previous years, those who purchased tickets due to Daft Punk’s inclusion in the line-up didn’t seem too despondent that they couldn’t make it. The overall impression of the dance scene, judging from the exit murmurings of revellers, is that trance is the new rock ‘n’
roll. Again.

August 31st 2007

Despondent high school-aged kids wait outside in the vain hope that the melodic pop/punk fairy godmother will fall from the sky and hand them tickets for this sold out show of Plain White Ts. They are probably the only fans cursing the success of recent single ‘Hey There Delilah’. The sold-out signs went up not long after it made friends with our beloved popular radio stations.

However, that said, a large share of the keen crowd do not seem to be here to bask in the one track glory. Rugged and cruising guitar-layered new offering ‘Come Back With Me’, from forthcoming album Every Second Counts demonstrates energy and sends out a pleading, melodic shot of catchy fervour. It shows up early on, the belief that this Chicago quintet has in their new found, searching stance. Naturally, their fourth album provides a large share of the material on display and despite the odd stroll that is perilously close to Busted territory; it is a Matchbook Romance topped off with the zest of Maroon 5-vibe that comes off.

It is their acoustic dabbling that sets them outside from other aching US melody makers and appetites are whet, through the sentimental softy of ‘Write A Song For You’, for the flighty showstopper that is undoubtedly coming. Tom Higgenson effortlessly changes his vocal pace and is a picture of enthusiasm throughout. Plain White Ts feed off the collective enthusiasm for the older, less crisp sojourns. ‘Shine’, from 2002’s Stop album gives diehard fans their wish and some troubled darkness is delivered, as if to drive home the point that they’re not just a one-hit acoustic wonder.

Guitarist Tim Lopez provides the thrust and complements Higgensen’s crowd banter with a cruel torment to fulfil requests of fans by taking out “that acoustic one”, “Yeah, let’s take out ‘Delilah’”. They didn’t receive many demands after that. Three songs from the finish and Higgenson grabs his acoustic guitar; phones and lighters go aloft before he has chance to say “This is ‘Hey There Delilah’.”

No invitation is needed for each line to turn into a crowd pleasing chorus and the excitement this creates is harnessed into a punchy finale, incorporating a splash of vibrant pop punk, ‘Take Me Away”. This hardworking band enjoyed the limelight tonight and £7.50 for a ticket meant that even the poor and poor alike could share it with them. This is something that is happening less and less in music thanks to rising booking fees.

Saturday October 7th 2007

There is something strangely comforting about hearing your native accent when you live away from the place you grew up. Luckily for me, I can experience this feeling whenever I go to see Maximo Park. Paul Smith’s Teesside twang, to be mistaken for a Geordie accent at one’s peril, is music to my ears.

Manchester Apollo sold out months before this much-anticipated gig, and the treat of two hotly-tipped support acts, Blood Red Shoes and Good Shoes, was a none-too-shoddy (ha!) move by the Park. The North East’s most important band kicked off with the rabble-rousing ‘The Coast Is Always Changing’, highlighting an unshakable tightness that certain NE teams’ defences could take note of.

Maximo Park really are Smith’s band; he commands the stage like a more angular Charlie Chaplin – strutting, leaping and throwing shapes with abundant energy. Overt enthusiasm was what stood out most the last time I saw the band, who had pipped Arctic Monkeys to the headline spot on the tour. Almost half of the crowd deserted the Apollo after watching the (dare I say it) slightly over-hyped Monkeys, and missed the most energising display since Ryan Jarman swallowed a bucketload of Duracells.

This time around, in a bigger venue, everyone is here for the Park. The crowd react well to a healthy mix of old stuff and new songs from the band’s second and latest album, Our Earthly Pleasures. My only disappointment was not hearing their cover of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Like I Love You’, which is a proposed B-side for their forthcoming single ‘Russian Literature’.

However, this is a novel aside when compared to the increased epic sounds heard on their new long player. ‘By The Monument’ is enthralling, Smith’s emotional outpouring receiving rapturous applause from the audience who feel his every ache. ‘Girls Who Play Guitars’, when heard in the same session as the indie classic ‘Apply Some Pressure’ shows just how far the band have come in a relatively short time.

‘Our Velocity’, plausibly the band’s biggest hit single to date, is what ends the main set. Numbers flash across the impressive backdrop as Smith and his partner in crime, keyboard player Tom English, go wild. On their return for an encore, the post-punk fuzz of ‘Acrobat’ silences the gig-goers for a standalone minute, before, with the rip-roaring anthem that is ‘Graffiti’, Smith calls it a night – a bloody good one at that. “And that’s enough…”

Monday October 8th 2007

When I think back to my favourite gigs of all time, it is not necessarily seeing my favourite band Blur for the first time at Leeds festival, nor watching the Arctic Monkeys in a dingy club before they got big. David Ford’s show in a small pub in Huddersfield at the back end of 2005 had that special something that you just can’t put your finger on.

Maybe it was to do with the realisation that I was one of a handful of people who were blessed enough to have watched him perform that night, and to fall in love, on the first live listen, with his debut album I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I Caused.

Brudenell Social Club is a fantastic venue hidden away in a student area of Leeds. One half of the building is the working mens’ club whilst the other is reserved for the best national and international ‘up-and-comers’. Its relaxed atmosphere, plus plenty of cushioned seating, is perfect for a Monday night with the ex-Easyworld frontman.

Ford is his usual affable self; he looks a bit like an older and wiser Justin Timberlake if you squint. He has the pork pie hat, at least. His current single ‘Decimate’ – like most Ford songs – has a skyscraper chorus, with Ford’s voice mingling tantalisingly with the sole violin. Political fury has always been a focal point for him, much like Tom Waits. ‘Requiem’, another track from his second longplayer Songs For The Road, is anything but funereal, with Ford descending from likeable troubadour into a crazy, troubled madman. Trombone is added into the mix for this tune – a curious choice, but the warm overtones give at a softened feel.

‘State Of The Union’ is what will have drawn many to the show tonight, as Ford’s one man performance builds into epic proportions. He loops his guitar strums, piano noodling, percussion and layer upon layer of political ramblings until we are facing what can only be described as cacophony. Utterly amazing. It must be said that Ford is not totally preoccupied with politics however, as a sprinkling of love songs are scattered through the set. ‘Song For The Road’ has been brewing awhile, as it got one its formative outings when Ford played in Huddersfield. A beautiful paean to his wife, the line “Whilst poets engineer definitions of love/You know all I can think of is you” is enough to set anyone off dreaming of hearts and flowers.

Last time I saw Ford, he dedicated his very own ‘Hey Jude’, the more risqué ‘Cheer Up You Miserable F*ck’, to fans of Morrissey, almost in a degrading way. In a cheeky about turn, he finished off the night with a gentle cover of The Smiths’ ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’.

His down-to-earth attitude to his music and the modest production might mean that Ford never gets the recognition as a solo artist that he so readily deserves. But if Damien Rice is big, then David Ford should be massive.

October 12th 2007

Despite their Sheffield roots and a strutting “write about what happens to you” approach, the debauchery-espousing Jon Windle quintet of Little Man Tate has managed to carve their own model of modern life gazing.

Undoubtedly, their bouncing pop slant and Windle’s calming, yet punchy, vocals has helped them steer enough away from the Arctic Monkeys base, to establish their own identity. A pop-friendly and underpinning mod streak takes a more pronounced display through the fatter, newer numbers.

It shows that their edge and infectious enthusiasm, on top of a broader and worldlier subject matter to the songs, will continue through second album territory and beyond. Leery, boozy anthems of ‘Sexy In Latin’ and ‘House Party At Boothy’s’, adds urgency to the plight of those embedded in the five deep queues at the two bars.

Buoyant and rugged Britpop flag-bearing ‘She’s Electric’ booms out during the interim to be greeted by a buoyant and feisty chorus, as the old skool and adventurous youngsters begin to feel that they haven’t been in an environment as “up fer it” as this before… for all the retro tagging that follows this five strong Brummie troupe The Twang around.

They open out with a cocky and flighty, beefed up Jamie T-veined pang helped by the urban tale of growing old: ‘The Neighbourhood’. Phil Etheridge and Martin Saunders provide the hard-hitting and fast paced vocal hits. Seeming to possess the interplay and understanding that Dalglish and Souness once shared – knowing exactly where the other one is without having to look over at them once.

The beer flies through the air with such regularity, you’d think that someone had smuggled their own pump in, much to the chagrin of the more amorously clad female attendees. Drummer Dave Lowe starts to take a more prominent tempo-lifting role and the catchy dance-off of ‘Ice Cream Sundae’, is like a shot of tequila to the existing beer-fuelled mayhem and a monster of a mosh-pit emerges, sending arms flailing and bodies falling. A rugged early The Charlatans pitch starts to take over and rhythm seeps onto the dance floor.

‘Two Lovers’, is that baggy revival kick up the arse that British music needed; judging by the buoyancy with which it is greeted tonight and it seems to have a murky guitar pushed veil, giving it even more mystique. A seventy minute set of mood switching bravado shows that The Twang and their fans alike seem set for a lengthy connection.

This is not just idle time passing, whilst waiting for that over-talked about Stone Roses re-union.