Crippled Black Phoenix - The Cluny, Newcastle - 8th April

As anyone who knows The Cluny is aware the venues stage can comfortably accommodate a standard 4/5 piece band, 6 at a push depending on the setup. Anyone who knows Crippled Black Phoenix, and that's the bulk of tonight's crowd of course, also knows they are far from a standard band and number eight (usually). I counted eight tonight, or seven, maybe, it's hard to tell as it's a bloody tight squeeze up there! People and instruments are cramped together and meld into one!

But it doesn't appear to hinder them as they launch into their own unique mix of prog-cum-post-rock. Drawing mostly from new album 'I, Vigilante' and 2009's '200 Tons of Bad Luck' CBP immediately hit their groove and conjur up a succession of heavy and melodic tunes which ebb and flow as they drive forward. Amply sized songs like the lurching, unsettling 'Troublemaker' or the dreamy epic that is 'Burnt Reynolds' rub glacial paced shoulders with each other, brittle but immensely solid - the sound you'd imagine from musical granite.

The crowd is good (healthy) not huge, but CBP receive enthusiastic and justified applause each time one of these mini-epics reaches a natural conclusion and commence another and when 'Rise Up and Fight' beats out its tribal rhythms, lead by Joe Volk's emotive vocals and a series of strident, drum figures, guitar riffs and embellishing synth swirls, the venue becomes awash in a maelstrom aural nuances making for an unbelievably immersive listen. It's this atmosphere which lingers on throughout their set.

Beautifully realised music from a talented group deserving of more attention.

White Lies - Newcastle O2 Academy - 17th February

Tonight is a little puzzling to me. See, I still think of White Lies as being a small, 'cultish' band with a loyal but limited following. This makes no real sense because they have bags of tunes and wide appeal, even so this thought prevails. I'm strangely excited then to see they've filled the Academy to bursting. An even more impressive feat when you consider their average audience member is a tiny fifteen year old taking up no space at all.

They're popular then. Radio hits. The new album 'Ritual' draws in a new audience too. And they’re still accepting goodwill for their excellent debut album. All very much deserved and earned. Touring continually. I get it, I really do.

I'm a genuine fan of their songs. 'Bigger Than Us', 'Farewell to the Fairground', 'To Lose My Life', 'Strangers' - these all possess the melancholy and anthemic edge on stage that they evoke on the albums. The crowd of tweenies, and a few of us older souls, revel in singing every word. We dance and surge, raise our hands in praise and generally give it some welly throughout.

So, I'm puzzled why? Weirdly, I think we, the crowd. are working harder than the band. The reciprocal love isn’t felt coming from the stage. There are some cursory 'Thank you's' but doled out with a lack of passion. It feels pretty clinical and by turns insincere. Late in the set launching into 'Death', still by far their best song, I'm almost prepared to forgive their formulaic approach but really would have killed for some enthusiasm along with the cracking tunes.

The Joy Formidable, The Chapman Family - Newcastle O2 Academy, 8th February

My entry to tonight's gig is initially thwarted partly to PR inefficiancy, but happily I bump into The Chapman Family's front man Kingsley who kindly bundles me indoors just in time to watch his band play a blistering set in front of the packed crowd.

Support slots can be a thankless position but The Chapman Family's years of constant touring sees them take control as they belt through their abrasive pop-rock songs, showcasing imminent debut album 'Burn Your Town' (out March 7th). Current single 'Anxiety' rubs its hummable chorus up against the foreboding of 'Kids' and the hypnotic, sadomasochistic feel of 'A Million Dollars' and the mix fits very well.

With less than half a stage to suffice due to the headliners set-up, the Teeside quartet's already claustrophobic energy is given more reason to vent. With freedom to roam they'd undoubtedly reach more epic heights but they still play like their life depends on it and build to an incendiary climax, confirming new acolytes to their cause. Job done.

The Joy Formidable are also now reaping the rewards of a persistent life on the road. The Big Roar, their new album, is freshly squeezed and the trio of Ritzy, Rhydian and Matt relish the command their headliner role brings.

Opening with 'The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade', we're all called to joyous attention. Older set favourites are given an aural sparkle like the hopeful expectation of 'Whirring' or recent radio hit 'Austere' and newer album tracks prove to be instant crowd favourites. Dreamy guitar pop fills the venue and 'The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie' sums up their appreciation of mood and melody perfectly.

The Joy Formidable are assured and entertaining and will only get bigger and better.

The White Stripes - Under Great White Northern Lights

About ten years ago I somehow stumbled across The White Stripes music. On the radio or in a club or reading about them somewhere, I'm not sure exactly how. But they had a a fascinating enough look and story for me to check out the music further and I bought an imported copy of their eponymous debut album and the ramshackle mix of punk and blues had me hooked.

It's fair to say that I became pretty obsessive. Tracking down rare 7" singles on tiny labels (even going so far as to buy pre-White Stripes Jack White oddities), reading everything about them I could and telling friends how great this band were, usually to very deaf ears! By the time the wider public had latched on in the UK around 2001 with third album 'White Blood Cells' my interest was beginning to peak and following fourth release 'Elephant' in 2003 with phenomenal 'breakout' single 'Seven Nation Army' I'd had my fill. Fickle as I was.

So coming to this film of the duo's 2009 tour of every Canadian territory was an opportunity to fill in the missing years for me. Covering their career to date including a wonderfully observed tenth anniversary gig and featuring some great live footage - hey I'm a sucker for rock-umentaries anyway - this brought back to me the thrill of hearing the band in their early days. The rawness and the power that Jack and Meg generate. Plus there are some really candid pieces caught on camera, perhaps none more so than when the pair are sat at the piano at the film's close with Jack playing and singing and the (obviously silent/quiet) Meg brought to tears by his rendition of 'White Moon'. It's a touching moment indeed.

It's a joy to see bands who genuinely find pleasure in playing and making music and I suppose, despite whatever else Jack White has done in his extra curricular musical endeavours, The White Stripes will always be the most deeply felt and meaningful of these - both for them and for me.

www.whitestripes.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Wild Palms - Live: 6th Mar 2010

Ex-Ex-Lion Tamers, now Wild Palms, this gaggle of southern reprobates are one of my tips for 2010. Not just for their obvious ability to electrically charge the room within seconds of firing off the set's scattered drum patterns and lacerating guitar riffs. Although this definitely helps. Not even due to the fact that the one 'hit' tune in their armoury, recently issued single 'Over Time', is a relatively shiny misnomer found in an otherwise musical blizzard of a set. Although this song's change of pace and angular style (yes it's still around) punctuates with stark contrast the less well known songs. In a good way you understand.

Mostly it's because they seem to have a spirit and musicality that draws the listener in. The tribal tumble of 'Deep Dive' for instance has a yearning and warmth and gives you a real urge to jerk and sway, which is a welcome change to the moping immobile 'nod-dance' style adopted by the indie glitterati. There are some songs in the set which feel less realized as if they're searching for their own sound which is fair enough I guess as, quite frankly, Wild Palms are prepared to try and mix it up rather than relying on a workable formula. To paraphrase Woody Allen, 'If you’re not failing now and again, you’re not doing anything very innovative.'

So it’s a B+ then. Which translates as bloody good effort, entertaining with room for improvement. Like The Fall at their least ramshackle. Can't say fairer than that.

www.myspace.com/wearewildpalms
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Marina & The Diamonds - Live: 18th Feb 2010

Synth-based pop with a confident front woman is just what the record buying public want at the minute right? Well, okay we are spoiled for choice actually – Florence, Little Boots and La Roux being the most visible and newcomers including Ellie Goulding in the wings, so how does Marina differ?
 
There’s a lot of wordy, sarcastic flexing of personality for starters – like Kate Nash if she grew a pair and wasn’t so passive. Marina wants to be the star, thrives on the attention and the adoration.
 
With a sold out crowd to please and adorned in a faux-fur oversized green cardigan complete with frog eyes she’s certainly not hiding any lights under bushels – probably doesn’t even know where the bushels are. Appearances on numerous Big Things for 2010 lists have helped draw in the crowd, a previous visit bringing only a couple of dozen souls as she notes mid-set.
 
It’s a confident show then, belting out the shiny pop nuggets of 'Girls', ‘I Am Not A Robot’, ‘Are You Satisfied?’ and ‘Seventeen’ with determined energy and unbridled glee. However, once these fade into the ether there are few reasons to get excited and I’m left questioning whether Marina really has the depth to give her crossover appeal.

www.marinaandthediamonds.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

These New Puritans - Live: 5th Feb 2010

Capturing live the glacial sounds and rib-shattering rhythms of their new album ‘Hidden’, might have seemed a daunting prospect for These New Puritans. Having stitched together a series of vaguely militaristic songs in the studio which by turns flay the skin off your bones and then wrap warm brass around everything to soothe the pain they could be forgiven for failing to quite live up to expectation and the praise which the album has had heaped on it since it’s release.
 
But these fears aren’t justified. With Jack Barnett, rake thin and inherently serious, firmly the focus of tonight’s proceedings – the eye at the centre of this particular storm – These New Puritans rip things up with a maelstrom of angular threat, ‘Attack Music’ and ‘Fire Power’ particularly. Barnett’s brother George drives the rhythms forward seemingly with the focus of an autistic savant, completely oblivious to anything but the beats.
 
Whether evangelising their messages or intent on drilling the tribal, insistent beats into the crowd These New Puritans have managed to bottle something really special here which more and more people deserve to hear for themselves. Rally the troops and spread the word.
 
www.myspace.com/thesenewpuritans
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

A Place To Bury Strangers - Live: 13th Nov 2009

You really have to hand it to Jukebox, they consistently manage to book some stunning bands you wouldn’t get an opportunity to see anywhere else and A Place To Bury Strangers are certainly no exception.
 
With the Brooklyn, NYC band’s recently released second album ‘Exploding Head’ (out on Mute records now) still very much box fresh and confidently swaggering all over the blandness of record industry ‘Best of..’ pre-Christmas releases The Other Rooms is swamped in a heady concoction of lacerating guitar and intoxicating beats as they tear through a set list bursting with intrigue and imagination.
 
The unassuming greatness of their self-titled debut album  - a collection of chaotic demos and EP recordings with brilliant songs like ‘To Fix The Gash In Your Head’ and ‘She Dies’ evoke the JAMC wall of sound and undulating Cure bass lines which brought wider renown and the deserved moniker ‘loudest band’ you’re likely to see. So it’s with unbridled anticipation that I’m here waiting to be literally blown away – late on Friday 13th (appropriately enough) when, sad to admit, I’d usually be tucked up under a duvet welcoming the land of nod.
 
It’s all in the delivery and jeez do they deliver? The scene stealing tonight definitely comes from ‘In Your Heart’, ‘Deadbeat’ and ‘Ego Death, all from the latest album but it’s genuinely impossible to isolate a few songs though from what is the most pulsating, squealing, invigorating performance Newcastle is likely to witness for a long time to come.

www.myspace.com/aplacetoburystrangers
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Vessels - Live: 8th Apr 2009

Gazing at the stage I appear to be looking directly into Vessels studio set up. They’ve got everything up to the kitchen sink, plugged in, amped up, locked in and eager to go. The density of the quintet’s songs would appear to warrant such a diversity of instruments and personnel.
 
My only previous exposure to Vessels comes in the form of their single Yuki, a sublime, shimmering evocation of melancholy so the intensity and outright ferocity in tonight’s set comes as a slight surprise. Still underpinned by glorious melody but with brutal beats and lacerating guitars songs like‘ An Idle Brain and The Devil’s Workshop’ and‘The Beast’ threaten to overpower, skirt the edges with their intent to spill into chaos, but there’s far more to Vessels than winding noise into an extreme apex or trilling complex figure on the fretboad, kind of like a far less shouty Liars chilling out more.
 
I suppose there may be a cause to label Vessels with the‘math-rock’ tag somewhere along the line but whilst this can apply one minute the managed to wriggle free and become something else, something unique which is no small feat. Fans of the usual (mostly) instrumental-rock suspects will undoubtedly love Vessels with a passion and for anyone seeking something fresh in a genre often easily aped will be blown away.

www.myspace.com/vesselsband
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Little Boots, Heartbreak - Live: 22nd Nov 2008

With the echo of synth stabs and a pungent mix of overwrought Sparks and Freddie Mercury still hanging in the air the Anglo-Argentinian duo of Sebastian Muravchix and Ali Renault, aka Heartbreak, leave the stage having set a decidedly retro mood romping through classics in waiting like 'Regret', 'We're Back' and 'Living Just For Fun'. Aided and abetted by the Road to Rimini DJs the whole place is in fine Italo fettle. I've said numerous times of late that the rediscovery of tunes and dancing this year has been a revelation and my needs are suitably sated even before Little Boots arrives to blow any final cobwebs away.

This said former Dead Disco diva Victoria Hesketh has transformed out of sight and with Little Boots - akin to watching Kylie fronting Orbital at times - there's a whole new reason to be excited. There's the full on trance/Ring My Bell tilt of 'Magical', the pop genius of 'Mathematics' and you'll have heard 'Meddle' in the ether as it's undoubtedly been played in every club every five minutes over the last couple of months. And rightly so. There are acres of cooler than cool songs, a vulnerable Piaf demeanour, the Tenori-On (look it up), a witty stage banter, whipping out the Keytar for a full on 'Brian May rock moment' and goddamnit a fucking exceptional cover of Freddie Mercury/Giorgio Moroder almost lost dance classic 'Love Kills'.

There's so much to love with Little Boots including an affectionate camp which takes you over and transports you a time when Howard Jones was synth king and singing into a hairbrush with dreams of appearing on Top of The Pops wasn't as shameful as it appears in retrospect. Come on surely that's not just me?


www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

The Kills - Live: 8th Nov 2008

Go on then, name some cool male/female duos!

Those without anything approaching a long term memory might opt for Anonymous and Old Cow from The Ting Tings. As if. Or Alice and Ethan from Crystal Castles. Okay I’ll give you that because those two kick ass! Or maybe, now cast your minds back fickle bastards, Jack ‘Bond-theme-strangler’ White and his sister/wife Meg. They had the blues man. Seriously though there are umpteen others you could sift through. It’s subjective after all. But I bet it’d take a while for most to come up with VV and Hotel from The Kills. Well shame on you.

What is heartening to see is that there are a lot of people who do see this duo, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince if you prefer their birth names, for the rockingest man-woman blitzkrieg they actually are. The venue is uncomfortably full, health and safety could bust the place at any second. It adds to the intoxicating atmosphere as The Kills roar into action as the dying embers of Obama’s presidential speech die in the PA. This is all about change.

Kind of shoehorned in maybe but as they hurtle through songs from all three Kills eras – or albums if you prefer – there’s a definite change to see. The squall, white noise of earlier tunes gives way to genuine ‘hits’ on new album Midnight Boom - U.R.A. Fever, Cheap and Cheerful and Alphabet pony to name only three - are greeted more feverously. You do sense though that the sleaze and filth with which the older songs are flung around on stage also hits the spot with those in attendance. Good. The Kills rock the fucking bollocks off any limp-wristed chancers I can think of and deserve their time in the spotlight. They’ve got the attitude, the tunes and the dark glasses to cope with the glare.

www.thekills.tv/
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Ipso Facto - Live: 26th Sept 2008

No-Wave. Nu-No Wave. There's a low rumble and a sedate pace. Cool seduction hangs palpably on the air. Four shadowy apparitions wearing precision bobs thump out their slow repetitive rhythms. The noise comes like the elongated stretch of an icy glacier as it carves its infinitesimally slow progress through a Scandanavian fjord. Not so much played as released. Beyond the craning necks is where this in-action is at. Through dim lights and dry ice resides the source of this oblique reverb and lulling hypnotic riffs. The wellspring of sweet sardonic vocals and parping, ghostly keys is here. Siren like. Calling. It's intriguing. Intoxicating. Unsettling sometimes. This is Ipso Facto.

As an all female quartet in tune with their 'look' as much as their music it'd be easy to be distracted by the visuals but there's much more than mere style and mannequin moves. The bizzaro fairground atmospherics of "Smoke and Mirrors" is disorientating and seductive whereas the studied shimmer and Souxsie Sioux delivery of "Ears and Eyes" displays perfectly the foursome's knack of creating something fresh from the foundations of decades gone by. Think Marianne Faithfull, Nico era Velvets and the gothfather (and mother) roles of The Cure and The Banshees, but only as jumping off points. Sound like a humourless exercise in studied retro indulgence? Not a bit of it.

As the pace quickens and the crowd relax more Ipso Facto deliver a deliberately non-standard set of material the highlight of which is "Introducing", as infectious and vibrant a two minutes as you could hope for whilst maintaining the appearance of austerity. Soundtracking the darker, more melancholic corners of any dancefloor they urge you to "Roll up!" Making eager promises which thrill and disturb simultaneously like they're proprietors of some Victorian sideshow carnival and they very well might be, they're certainly the only show in town worth anything right now and you can't help but peer inside.


www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Lights.Action, A Silent Film - Live: 10th Sept 2008

There are numerous similarities between all four bands playing tonight - most obviously in their 'searching' sound which longs to project itself from a vast stadium stage. Intelligent rock with hooks - so to speak.. But aside from these similarities there are also very obvious performance differences.

It's a shame that openers think:Fire are playing their swansong shows prior to disbanding as they mix passionate rock, melodic riffs and urgent, driving rhythms with sufficient assurance and cockiness to avoid rock clichés and invoke genuine warmth from the crowd. think:Fire’s confidence only goes to highlight Fall Short! Conform!’s limitations though. Their uneasy mix of strong post-rock tunes with poorly executed vocals and little stage presence fails to ignite and regrettably it comes as a slight relief when singer Graham Mason leaves the stage during the final song and allows the music some breathing space.

Oxford's A Silent Film appear to be the most anticipated band in the lineup and with compelling lead singer Robert Stevenson (hints of Chris Martin not withstanding) and their piano led anthems they don’t disappoint. Great pop songs like "You Will Leave a Mark" and "Highest Regard" also bring to mind the keening melodies of Scandinavian pop maestros Mew and even Aha in their prime - particularly the interplay with Lewis Jones' chiming guitar. Drawing from imminent album 'The City That Sleeps' the songs are sumptuously crafted and thrillingly delivered. Even the danceable bewilderment of covering Underworld's "Born Slippy" fits without jarring, no mean feat!

In part tonight’s gig draws comparisons between the bands respective frontmen and Lights.Action singer Patrick Currier effortlessly kicks himself to the top of the pile with great charisma and powerful vocals. This isn't a one man show however as the band also preview their debut album. "Signals to Radar", "Moscow" and "Hide And Seek" demonstrate Light.Action's knack for building epic tunes alongside brittle melody whilst remaining Pop at heart.

www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Martha Wainwright - Live: 27th July 2008

It must be hard being Martha.

Firstly there’s brother Rufus taking an enormous amount of praise for his career to date and of course her parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle are music royalty to their fans too. Then you have Ms Wainwright and her brilliantly received debut album. Quite rightly standing outside on it’s own very accessible merit. But there a times when you wonder about the depth of her material and where she fit’s into the dynasty and beyond.

In the ‘zone’ and delivering a song like ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’ from her debut for instance, she’s a wonderous mix of fragility and revenge. Equally thrilling with sublime covers from Pink Floyd’s ‘See Emily Play and ‘Stormy Weather’ originally from Rufus’ camptastic Judy Garland concert sees the set book-ended brilliantly but the interim is a hotchpotch of new material from her ‘I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too’ album and to be perfectly frank it’s not very good.

The sparser moments like ‘Far Away’, just her and acoustic guitar, work best but the songs aided by the fuller band are very hit and miss. There’s a slickness with the band that doesn’t seem to marry with the singer/songwriter moments and at times this feels like a lack of conviction and passion – it’s a simple fact that on stage alone Martha’s so much more vulnerable and mesmerising and as a result the songs seem more heartfelt.

She still seems at times to be finding her way, discovering her own voice – not an easy task with all the Wainwright history – the moments where she does catch fire are brilliant you just wish there were more of them.

www.marthawainwright.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Kyte, Sona Di, Mariposa - Live: 14th Jul 2010

Having seen Mariposa a fair few times I know how inspirational and challenging they can be to ‘get in to’. A cold venue with only a dozen other souls for company only adds to the challenge and tonight for all the intense layering and rhythmic building of their set by the time Holly and Matt are done, their crescendo ringing off the walls, I’m still not quite there. Mariposa’s music I’ve found relies heavily on context, and personal mood where I’m concerned and tonight that bit of chemistry just wasn’t apparent. I blame myself.

Sona Di are a trio who you feel are still defining their own sound. They produce a set tonight which is very familiar to anyone aware of the post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai for instance and whilst they’re rough and raw and undisciplined – in a good way – they don’t simply ape these bands. Tonight I get the impression they’re trying to break into something different and attempt something new. I’m not sure what that might be and I doubt they’re too sure either right now but the potential is there all the same.

So tonight’s headliners are Kyte a five piece from Leicestershire who have already moved out to a wider consciousness despite very humble and gentle demeanours. The bulk of their set covers their recent self-titled mini album. Time doesn’t appear to be on their side as they seem to rip through the material whereas on CD the songs are given space to breathe a bit more. “Sunlight”, “Secular Ventures” and “Boundaries” are the standouts musically. The sparse crowd whoops and hollers enthusiastically and the band seem genuinely shy in receiving the applause but there’s some great material to come in future so that's definitely something they'll have to get used to.

www.myspace.com/kyteband
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Low - Live: 18th Apr 2008

The reverence paid to Low is something few people might understand, certainly anyone not inside The Sage tonight to witness this rarest of shows might query the worship at least. Low, the trio of Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Taylor and Steve Garrington are so unassuming on stage and beguiling whilst creating such minimal music, so sparse it's paradoxically weightier in expectation.

The 'quietest band' ever tag has followed, even plagued, them throughout their career and as a direct response to this, to losing long time former bassist Zak Sally and perhaps commentating more overtly on the 'noise' of modern life with all it's horrors and doubts their recent albums, 2005's 'The Great Destroyer' and 2007's 'Drums and Guns' saw the amps turned up and buzzing, sampled undercurrents flowing throughout.

It's from Drums and Guns that the backbone of tonight's set is compiled. 'Dragonfly', 'Murderer' and 'Sandinista' stand out as the pitch perfect vocals spar with the visceral music. But it's certainly not the doom and gloomfest any unfamiliar listener might expect, Sparhawk in particular is on jocular form dealing with the occasional request for a 'hit' shouted from a darkened corner. It must be difficult to be held in such high esteem where fans have such a breadth of favourites that you can only cull from the set.

Still there are many songs cherry picked from the many other great albums spanning Low's 15 year career which are included. Seminal album 'Things We Lost In The Fire' gets a good airing, 'Sunflower', 'In Metal' and the ultra minimal 'Laser Beam' are sublime and when 'Dinosaur Act' Kicks in there's a warm glow around the gathered crowd. Other gems include a lengthy version of 'Pissing' full of foreboding and dread and the simply beautiful 'Lion/Lamb' and whereas I could happily sit through a few more hours at least I have to concede to being sated enough and after one encore the sermon is over.

www.chairkickers.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Blood Red Shoes - Live: 16th Apr 2008

A succinct appraisal of the two support acts tonight from two gig attending friends - 1984 (Gallic three piece with one tune) Friend 1, "France Ferdinand"; Them Amazing Babies (from Newcastle with no tunes) Friend 2 - mishearing singer "Did he say,'Them Disabled Babies'?". Quite possibly...

So to Blood Red Shoes who keep us waiting an interminable amount of time for no real reason it seems. Fears that they've gone for a few jars around town and had the soft southern shite kicked out of their pretty heads are eventually dispelled though and although they tentatively take to the stage like a pair of frightened rabbits Laura-Mary and Steven soon find their stride. Opening with 'It's Getting Boring By The Sea' one of the catchiest moments from debut album 'Box Full of Secrets' the pace doesn't really relent for the full set bar a few gasps for breathe from the energetic duo. 'You Bring Me Down' and 'I Wish I was Someone Better' keep the tempo high.

Watching Blood Red Shoes is a bit like watching tennis in that your eyes are always darting back and forth as they thrash on the guitar and drums respectively and duel with the vocals. The album's fantastic and live they make even more sense as they manage to make an impossibly loud (metal!?) sound at times. It's a a genuine pleasure they they seem bemused whilst humbly smiling when the crowd claps and sings along. They've got a modesty which will probably be lose it's soft edge over time but right now it's translated into an enthusiasm for simply playing their album to the people who've bought it.

Returning to the stage for an encore they play off the setlist and take requests from the floor. To be totally honest they pair look knackered and it's with a relief I suspect that they finish up and promise to come back sooner than the 18 months since their last visit. Good, can't wait.

www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

The Rifles, The Maybes - Live: 20th Mar 2008

Opening up for any headliner is an unenviable task at the best of times, the early start, the uninterested crowd and when you're a fledgling band on the road with The Rifles, as vibrant onstage as the fans are off, its a task which definitely sorts the men from the boys. Sadly The Maybes are far to timid to shine one their own merit.

They make it through a handful of pretty standard rock 'tunes' before embarking on a completely leftfield danceable number (a la The Music) that the previous twenty minutes seems even more redundant. It doesn't give me any pleasure to describe them as a schizophrenic band with zero personality worth caring about unfortunately.

The Rifles on the other hand have attitude, desire and and tunes dripping from their every pore and the wherewithal to put it all together on stage. Airing their debut album and a few new songs it's the more familiar numbers which shine of course. 'She's Got Standards', 'Peace & Quiet' and 'One Night Stand' are all particularly sublime as Academy 2 does it's very best to burst at the seams with a vigorously up-for-it crowd - it seems slight to choose a few songs from the set tonight as they are pretty much faultless throughout. There's plenty of interplay with the crowd - indeed the band seem surprised at the devoted reception they're getting - but they're damn entertaining so there's no mystery.

There's some pretty raucous dancing too, the kind which sees the first dozen rows pressed hard against the barriers and gasping for air. It's not often that a gig leaves you this breathless (literally) it really feels like there are bigger things on the verge of happening for The Rifles and seeing them get an overwhelmingly positive response is just the start.

www.myspace.com/therifles
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Glasvegas - Live: 18th Feb 2008

So the mood is intense and anticipatory on both sides, crowd and band. The fact that 'Daddy's Gone' has been played ad infinitum on the radio has drawn out the hordes it seems. The curious. It's a strange atmosphere to say the least.

Taking to the stage accompanied by the low rumble of their intro music Glasvegas don't look overawed, of course they're probably getting used to this, and they fire up their guitars welding their noise to that emitted by the PA.

This isn't quite what I was expecting. I thought more bluff pop rock was on the cards. Instead this has an air of threat and contempt. It's a cloud of building squall and dimly lit stage. Maybe I'm wrong, I think, perhaps Glasvegas are meeting the acclaim and attention head on with a hardened front. Or maybe we're being sold a pup by The Man and this is the true Glasvegas, who knows?

It's almost funny to witness the crowd in small puzzled pockets waking up gradually to the tone of the set. The tunes are there of course - the ‘hits’, the aforementioned “Daddy's Gone” “It’s My Own Cheating Heart" most noticeable - and they do stand out like glowing hot coals amidst the embers of the rest of the set which isn’t quite so instant. There’s more than a passing reason to images The Clash hanging out along the M8 rather than Westway – not only in the look, but with the self deprecating, sneering vocal and the social commentary of the the lyrics. Maybe I’m reaching?

It matters not one iota in the end though. We've seen them play and if a clutch of bodies leave perhaps slightly confused as to their true personality it's more than most bands manage. Not a gushing recommendation but an honest to God attempt at saying they had its moments.

www.glasvegas.net
www.mekongdelta.co.uk

Paramore - Live: 14th Feb 2008

Due to a problem with missed flights or some such rockstar crisis tonight’s gig has rather neatly been postponed by a couple of days and finds a new home on Valentine’s Day. Fittingly the serendipity of this is not lost on Hayley Williams the lead nymphet with Paramore.

We’re continually reminded that we’ve chosen to join the band on this romantic occasion as she coyly flirts with the mass of lusting teenage hormones in the room, for which they are eternally grateful. You're welcome.

Musically the gig’s a bit of a rollercoaster. There’s a lack of any obvious flow and a few technical hitches threaten to overwhelm the set as the crew get an ample amount of onstage time themselves fixing mic leads etc. But thankfully these issues are treated with good humour by the band and they take it all in their stride.

There’s a comical effect before me stood at the back of the venue as I am – hey there are some young bodies in here tonight and being crushed in amongst that throng would be really inappropriate believe me – anyhow, the effect is, Hayley runs stage left and the crowd veers left with her, she runs stage right and they flock like starlings after the object of their desire. That the first ten rows are predominantly teenage males of an ‘emo’ persuasion should not be that surprising.

Having stormed through ‘Riot!’ and the highlights of first album ‘All We Know Is Falling’ the band exit and the crowd patiently awaits their return to play the hit and duly obliging Paramore come back to bluster through current single ‘Misery Business’. Back of the net. Grandstand finish!

I’m sure that without Ms Williams - sassy Avril Lavigne meets ‘Hard Candy’ Ellen Page - Paramore wouldn’t be quite the draw they are but they are all out fun and the addition of songs chock full of pop-rock hooks they can’t possibly fail.

www.paramore.net
www.mekongdelta.co.uk