Event Reviews

Let me set the scene: a dark, sweaty, moody venue; anticipation and excitement filling the room; an audience barely containing themselves as they wait impatiently for the bounty they’re about to receive. Here they come, too cool for school, four likely looking lads with a look of determination in their eye and swaggers that say 'have it'.

That didn’t seem to put this band's dedicated following off one bit; a mixed audience of mainly late teens to late twenties, an audience with a sophisticated taste in music beyond their years. I nearly fell off my chair when a 17 yr old follower described the band as similar to The Buzzcocks.

The short wait is over. And so, it begins: a thumping bass-line that you just can’t help but nod your head and stomp your feet to. The crowd erupts, the mosh pit appears to grow tenfold within the first couple of minutes and I decide to vacate to a less crowded area sharpish to avoid receiving someone’s Converse in my eye or up my nostril!

I was expecting pop/new wave/rock but this is a more uniquely London sound. This band are bringing it back and bringing it back with a vengeance. They hold their captivated (yet slightly unruly) audience glued to the stage throughout the entire performance and tracks like The Photos on my Wall and Never Meant to Hurt seem to be the anthems for their lives. They’re moody, they’ve got attitude and they’ve got amazing intros that get you going at the first note. It was a joy to watch, even the crowd surfers, surfing as if enveloped in a sea of musical euphoria. It nearly brought a small tear to the eye at the sight of such a young audience getting into some proper music.

Although I was smiling like a proud mother at Sports Day throughout, I could hardly contain myself from bellowing 'Going underground, underground…' or 'London calling..' at some point through every song on the set list - think Mod but without the haircuts and uber-trendy threads and that’s what you’ve got. If that’s what floats your musical boat, you will not be disappointed.

In good old Jerry Springer fashion, final thought: fantastic, crowd pleasing, thumping sounds, thoroughly enjoyable..BUT let’s hope that this band aren’t climaxing too early and getting a bit too big for their 'Good Shoes'.