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
Monday, 24 March 2008
Thursday, 21 February 2008
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
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
Friday, 15 February 2008
Blood Red Shoes - Box of Secrets
I’ve been keen on hearing more from Blood Red Shoes for a long time. They’ve been building up to this point, their debut album release. But then there’s that knot in the stomach when the album comes through. The question comes up, rears it’s bloody head…what if it’s not that good?
I’ll tell you now it is that good. But it might not be that apparent on initial listening. Possibly down to the very fact that the album’s been a long time coming and a slew of singles and Myspace songs and labels down the line BRS have fixed a series of delicious pop songs in my head. So I’m approaching it from that angle – I want sardonic, brassy pop, feed me the catchy songs.
The album’s really canny though and drip feeds the new tunes amongst the familiar ones sparingly. Two or three listens and the newer songs like “Try Harder” and “ Say Something Say Anything” which grab you by through on first listen become every bit as catchy and as those better known numbers “ADHD” and “It’s Getting Boring By The Sea” but retain their vibrancy. One slight gripe, and it’s a purely personal subjective thing, I prefer the songs where Laura Mary takes the leads vocals over Steve’s mainly down to her laconic, apparently dismissive delivery. Cleverly knowing and sharp as a tack.
All told Blood Red Shoes are a pair heading squarely and rapidly into the ‘mainstream’ and as one who’s followed their progress with a keen ear and an accompanying whistle “Box of Secrets” is the ideal record to take them there.
http://www.myspace.com/bloodredshoes
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
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
Sunday, 27 January 2008
30 Seconds To Mars - Live: 24th Jan 2008
In a parallel universe I am Jared Leto. I’m stood stage front playing the part of the skinny, alienated outsider. Bellowing into the face of indifference or authority or whatever else one should rail against as a confused and impressionable teen. I’m the rock god in black leather with kids hanging on my every word and move.
Ripping up the status quo and disquieting the audience with a series of carefully constructed epic rock tunes is pretty much what tonight’s all about and it’s difficult not to be aware, in the midst of this, that this is Jared ‘Hollywood actor’ Leto’s band. The phrasing and the precision with which their set is executed gives you the impression of being rehearsed into oblivion and with that there’s inevitably a questioning of how genuine the bands purported ‘love’ for the crowd can be. Aren’t they simply acting at being rockstars? Singing from a script worthy of any movie?
But there’s a point during tonight’s gig where the bombast and the art of ‘show’ is not the first thing that hit’s you. When the opening bars of ‘From Yesterday’ chime out it’s a surprisingly affecting experience. Suddenly I am Jared Leto. Rock Star. Keeping up a frenetic pace throughout as they give us the majority of their two albums to date. As cheesy and naïve as it possibly sounds coming from a thirty five year old who should know better the rest of the set take on a different context. The stronger songs still shine live as on album, ‘A Beautiful Lie’ and ‘The Kill’ in particular mix melody and brutal energy wonderfully.
It’s just a bloody great performance where instead of focusing on my own cynical idea of their artifice there’s an open acknowledgement that at their heart the band, all four members, are fucking great entertainers.
www.30secondstomars.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Ripping up the status quo and disquieting the audience with a series of carefully constructed epic rock tunes is pretty much what tonight’s all about and it’s difficult not to be aware, in the midst of this, that this is Jared ‘Hollywood actor’ Leto’s band. The phrasing and the precision with which their set is executed gives you the impression of being rehearsed into oblivion and with that there’s inevitably a questioning of how genuine the bands purported ‘love’ for the crowd can be. Aren’t they simply acting at being rockstars? Singing from a script worthy of any movie?
But there’s a point during tonight’s gig where the bombast and the art of ‘show’ is not the first thing that hit’s you. When the opening bars of ‘From Yesterday’ chime out it’s a surprisingly affecting experience. Suddenly I am Jared Leto. Rock Star. Keeping up a frenetic pace throughout as they give us the majority of their two albums to date. As cheesy and naïve as it possibly sounds coming from a thirty five year old who should know better the rest of the set take on a different context. The stronger songs still shine live as on album, ‘A Beautiful Lie’ and ‘The Kill’ in particular mix melody and brutal energy wonderfully.
It’s just a bloody great performance where instead of focusing on my own cynical idea of their artifice there’s an open acknowledgement that at their heart the band, all four members, are fucking great entertainers.
www.30secondstomars.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
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