LIVE REVIEWS *2
Imogen Heap / Nemo / Scott James
@ Leeds Met
First up is young band Scott James, who have won a contest run by Imogen on MySpace to support her this evening. I like them, they are nervous and a few bum notes leak out but their songs are good, slow paced tracks with varying melodies and drum and vocal samples, not your usual crap from some newcomers on MySpace.
Nemo are four well dressed men playing electro-pop/rock songs with great skill. Maybe too much skill actually, as the sound was like that of a pre-recorded session or CD, with no mistakes whatsoever. Good for some, but I like the rawness of a live show. Their self-penned description has me confused too; “We are not men, we are Nemo.” What, you are clown fish?
Leaving that well alone I move onto the intriguing Imogen Heap, and the plush stage set-up she has created. A clear perspex grand piano, white rugs, trees and fairy lights; there are maximum girlie-style happenings a foot. The lady herself appears, a pretty, tall women wearing a corset and feathers (later she jokingly adds “Not the best way to stay cool onstage”). She mumbles a lot on stage and lets you know everything she is doing, but when she gets down to playing some music she has a damn good vocal range, even adding a few flares of yodelling in there. The ex-Frou Frou frontwoman became miffed at not being recognised for her talents beyond singing, such as music engineering, programming and producing, so the sister went and did it herself, successfully, it looks and sounds like. The various songs tonight include piano solos, followed by sample-laden screaming electro pop songs, to layered vocal trickery using a vast array of uncomprehendible machines.
Danielle Millea
Jamie T / The Dance Bastards
@ The Adelphi, Hull
In my humble opinion I think the Dance Bastards have the best name I’ve heard in ages, particularly when you take into account they’re women. The Dance Bastards are flying the flag for doing something new and interesting and they’re doing a good job. Still in the very early stages these guys show great promise.
Standing in a sold out venue I had to wonder how many people were here, like me, to make up their mind about the boy who has been dubbed a Streets/Arctic Monkeys hybrid. Initially underground talent and talked of in the same breath as The Mystery Jets, but then the release of the highly radio friendly tracks such as ‘Money, Money, Money’ has seen him become a national favourite in no time. Indeed it didn’t take me long to realise that I was probably one of the only people in the place not singing along to every song.
Playing tonight as part of a 5-piece band, Jamie T’s brand of funky minimalist reggae tinged tunesmithery with quick fire observational lyrics was actually a lot more interesting and lofi than you might think. It would appear he is one of those talents that could easily be touring the toilets of Britain beloved by a few but never quite crossing over but who instead is plucked by someone who’s decided ‘this is going to be massive’ and makes it thus. Things did start to get a samey at a couple of points but then a wry quip would come in and save the day. Debut single Salvador showed a leaning towards more experimental indie. Still not completely decided and although I don’t think you can ever forgive the stella for fella rhyme there is definitely something behind the hype.
Hanna Houghton
Seth Lakeman / Carus
@ The Cockpit, Leeds
The main room of The Cockpit is heaving tonight, so I have no chance of getting in to see Carus Thompson, usually of Carus and the True Believers. The West Australian has the crowd in the palm of his hand, from what I can hear anyway. It’s country rock with subjects about life on the road, and the guy is very infectious to watch (when you can catch a glimpse in here).
Seth Lakeman’s career is taking off big time, I’ve even heard his stuff on a TV advertisement. Appearing happy in this small venue (which he vows to make sweaty - steady on lad there’s a lot of females here not just for your music!) the Dartmoor folk star has plenty of help from his talented band, namely his dancing brother Sean, excellent double bass player Ben Nicholls and the constantly smiling Cormac Bryne on the bouncy-sounding bodhran and percussion. There are only a couple of solo tracks played tonight by Seth, including ‘Lady of the Sea’ with his foot stomping and speedy fiddle playing. A lot of the setlist feature the songs from Freedom Fields, which has just been re-released by his new major label. New single ‘White Hare’ is aired early, followed by ‘Final Lot’, ‘King and Country’ and ‘Take No Rogues’. It’s hard to see why these lads are only just being recognised for their immense talents, as they have been in this game for a while now. The final song tonight is an old folk jig, bringing with it some dancing and whooping from the crowd. They seem to be out growing the smaller venues with their old tales of death and sadness sang to catchy, modern folk.
Danielle Millea
The Lemonheads / 747s
@ Leeds Met
Time for a bit of a honky–tonk jig, as Dubliner’s 747s catchy indie folk starts off, with tracks like ‘Rain Kiss’ and ‘Leave Your Job Today’ - which employs an assortment of kitchen utensils and pans, adding to the plinky-plonk of the organs. You can’t tell they were buskers!
What a treat tonight for Lemonheads fans. I was a little wary that this would be a gig solely to promote their first new album in ten years, The Lemonheads. When Evan Dando appears on stage (with trademark long, shaggy hair and stripy top) and struggles with his guitar strap I think, “He’s not gonna make the whole show.” How wrong am I? The handsome man of indie/pop/rock plays his songs with a country twang and at the speed of a punk song. His line up at the moment is borrowed heavily from The Descendents, with drummer Bill Stevenson (also from Black Flag) and bassist Karl Alvarez.
It’s like going back in time; apart from a few tracks from the new album it’s hits all the way, with ‘Down About It’ the first cracker, followed by songs from all the main albums, ‘Great Big No’, ‘It’s About Time’, ‘Hospital’, ‘Confetti’, ‘Rudderless’ and of course, ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’. In fact there are too many to list. After an hour Evan is left alone to perform some hits solo, like ‘Being Around’ and ‘The Outdoor Type’, then the band join him again to play an encore including ‘If I Could Talk I’d Tell You’. The band look thrilled all night, with Evan especially impressed at the crowds’ hand in singing along. The length of the songs allows for a packed set list, and fans are not disappointed. Like I said, a real treat.
Danielle Millea
Little Man Tate
@ Paradiso, Amsterdam
It was all waves and smiles from the band as they walked out to rapturous applause. The Yorkshire boys were in buoyant form with their happy-go-lucky songs about shagging a fox and waking up with a dog and sommert about a party round their mate’s house. At this point I disowned them and pretended I wasn’t even English! Songs like this are so cliché. We’ve all been there, done that, we know that they have as well, and do we really give a shit? No. So why do they feel the need to tell us all about it! Keep it between your mates down the pub like everyone else does, lads. Songs about shagging and house parties is not what a stage is there for. Unless you’ve got visuals…! Amsterdam has many, Little Man Tate had none!
Richard Oldale
The Long Blondes / 1990s
@ Manchester Academy 3
The top floor hall of Academy 3 feels like it is reeling in the wake of the NME’s ominous ‘new-rave’ tour which clattered across its stage the previous night, but hype can only be justified in its aftermath, and The Long Blondes have had their fair share of publicity. Unlike the gaudy night before it, this evening sees a venue pushing capacity with an ambivalent air of interest about the mixed audience. A positive aura surrounds the expectations of tonight’s support act, and yet 1990s surprise me somewhat. Steps further into the zealous than their records initially suggest; a spring in this Glaswegian trio’s step stumbles gleefully into cheeky psyche workouts and rousing choruses. Definitely ones to look up when they find the killer hook to move from good to great.
When Sheffield’s charity shop children kick into ‘Lust In The Movies’; the picture is not an entirely unfamiliar one. The darkly seductive Kate Jackson is supplemented by her typical vintage attire, whilst the glam-lite approach of Dorian to her right is suggestive of the more musically adept element of the quintet. ‘Weekend Without Makeup’ follows, and is perhaps the best example of what is at hand with The Long Blondes in the build up to their album’s release. It seems only a year ago that the bunch would be incapable of delivering as trained a performance as this, and the days when the live performance lagged behind a set of lethal tunes seem well behind us.
All is not entirely comfortable though. ‘You Can Have Both’, another admittedly astute swipe through propulsive Blondie punk, hints at self-parody, after recent B-Side ‘Fulwood Babylon’ trundles awkwardly through stale spoken word passages and Jackson’s occasionally overt Jarvis shuffle-dancing. Luckily for them though; The Long Blondes do have something of their own – it is not the kitchen sink chic, and it is not their dirty portrayal of post-student reality – it is a set of fearsome songs that are well-known now; elevating an otherwise modest pre-album tour setlist into an array of miniature classics.
Fran Donnelly
The Longcut / Proud Mary
Mani’s Manic Monday’s @ The Revolution
Monday nights seem to go one of two ways: You just can’t be arsed because surely nothing can be worth dragging yourself away from the idiot box or the weekend’s extra curricular activities are still taking there toll on your malnourished body. Well to those people I say, you’re wrong and to the latter no one likes a quitter. Deansgate Locks is the new venue for Mani’s, yeah the guy who wrote the opening twelve bars to ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, Manic Monday’s which are being broadcast live on 96.2 The Revolution.
So the city’s most consistent Manc spins the tunes with live acoustic interludes by Manchester’s up and coming acts. This week we’re treated to Noel Gallagher’s prodigies, Greg Griffin and Paul Newsome, best known as Proud Mary and Deltasonic’s horsemen of the anti fashion apocalypse, The Longcut. Mani drops a couple of gems in the form of Talking Heads, Bowie and The Stones and then its straight into the opening acoustic set.
As Griffin and Newsome strum the opening few chords of their first number you realise that the setup of the bar itself is screaming out for live music, with the raised balcony area complimenting the acoustics. There’s a quick tip of the hat to Ryan Adams ‘Love Is Hell’ in a brooding ballad and the title track of their new album ‘Glass Bottom Boat’ touches on Dylan’s caustic sentiments. They opt to bow out on a majestic cover Neil Young’s ‘Harvest’ and in doing so the ever growing number of onlookers realise why the elder statesman of the Gallagher’s is more than slightly enthused.
A couple of crowd pleasers later and more drinks offers than you can shake a stick at and its time for the new kids on the block to show us just exactly what there made of.
One can’t help but feel slightly perplexed at the prospect of The Longcut stripped down to the bare essentials. Witnessing them twice as a full outfit they are undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with. Sonic Youth guitars, clipped electronic beats and Stuart Copeland hissy fits behind the drum kit to name but a few endearing assets.
With an acoustic set however you’re as naked as the day you were born, nowhere to hide. My thoughts imminently change however when they open with a ‘Tried and Tested Method’ with its delicate sequencing evoking a greater focus and brutal honesty to Stuart Ogilives lyrics and furthermore creating a lusher and more melodic sound, one never knew they had. ‘Circus Town’ rattles along nicely but is a tad downtrodden yet their saving grace comes in the form of ‘Vitamin C’ which on the keyboard is less dance driven and instead hums with a Belle and Sebastian quirkiness.
If this night continues with the all round consistency shown here then Monday’s could become the new Friday’s and after all I never liked the Boomtown Rats anyway.
Sam Kershaw
Metronomy / Printed Circuit / Run Hide Survive
@ The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
When the term ‘new-rave’ first entered the vocabulary of what the NME credits so laughably list as a ‘writer’, I was overjoyed. Finally, between the flaccid covers of that contemptible excuse for a magazine, good bands began to appear. Perhaps the days were not far off when Razorlight would no longer rule the airways? I breathed a sigh of relief. But my relief, alas, would be short-lived: the sigh would catch in my throat, and, cut short, would become a grunt of disgust. Recently I read an NME feature, “How to be New-Rave!” As well as insisting on the compulsory carrying of glowsticks, it advised the use of neon paint to customise clothes, the better to ‘fit-in’ with the ‘new-rave’ crowd. ‘New-rave’, it seems, is officially dead. Its icons will appear in the fashion pages of the Sunday Times next week. However, someone must have forgotten to tell the bands who are playing tonight.
Run Hide Survive, up first, are really rather good. Perhaps best described as new-rave-synth-jazz-funk, every one of their songs sounds like it has a slap bass solo in it even if it doesn’t. Jazz tropes played via crunching, rough-hewn synths to the sputter of a drum machine. There’s something slightly off-putting about the singer, though. Perhaps it’s that he croons each line, eyes closed, head swaying, rising up on his tiptoes, a look of intense and painful seriousness on his face. Perhaps it’s that he sometimes stares open-mouthed into the crowd as if a great revelation has struck him. Perhaps it’s because I’m hungover.
It’s always a pleasure to see Printed Circuit, and tonight is no exception. And if I’m not mistaken, some of the newer songs have a slightly ‘heavier’ edge to them than the Nintendo soundtracks of old. Mario, it seems, has discovered MDMA. Most distressing, though, is the sight of band members handing out glowsticks to the audience, who flap them uselessly.
Finally, Metronomy. What a world of difference from the po-faced seriousness of Run Hide Survive! An instrumental band, apart from the occasional “Oh”, “Baa” or suchlike, Metronomy do dance routines, swing their guitars in time with each other, make funny faces, have lights on their chests which they turn on and off in time with the music, and, bloody hell, smile! In short, they are great. The occasional heavy metal riff surfaces, but the loaf is always leavened by chirpy synth and some weird blowy thing.
Russell Dunphy
The Misfits / Goldblade / Devilish Presley / Guns On The Roof
@ Leeds Met
Leeds lads Guns On The Roof, with an average age of 18, have supported Stiff Little Fingers and the UK Subs here before. Although they have the skill and stage presence of a bunch of punk upstarts their music lacks originality (a strange thing in punk I know, what with three chords to use!).
Now Devilish Presley; I don’t know what to make of these two. They are the Carter USM of horror rock, no drummer (sounds like they have a vendetta against them), just a woman called Jacquei Vixen screaming her head off, a well-spoken man trying too hard to be punk, and a drum machine.
Goldblade effortlessly look and act punk, with ex-Membranes frontman John Robb spending most of their short set on the barrier, at one point performing joke rituals on his ‘brothers and sisters’ down front, as Brother Pete points and ‘shoots’ his guitar at them. The riotous sing-a-long ‘Psycho’ is always a good crowd pleaser, along with ‘AC-DC’. So if you like energetic, catchy punk rock with religious tendencies, check em out supporting a bunch of punk legends near you.
As the theme oh Halloween descends over the crowd three figures take their places onstage before the lights burst on to reveal three faces. Jerry and Dez have macabre face paint on (and, of course, the infamous Devilock) while Robo has opted for a necklace of teeth. They start straight away with ‘Halloween’, and from then on its non-stop punk rock.
These guys were playing songs before I was born, and with the 30th anniversary of The Misfits next year, they show no signs of slowing down (they are currently working on a faster, harsher album!). The constant pace of songs including ‘Teenagers from Mars’, ‘Astro Zombies’, ‘Angel Fuck’, ‘Attitude’ (to name a minutes-worth!) was amazing.
The band who influenced many of today’s top acts – Green Day, Metallica, Guns and Roses – with their unique horror rock could fight them and win any day. Here’s to another
Mogwai / Kid606
@ Leicester University
On Thursday 21st August, around 300 people eagerly awaited the performance of the 5 piece post-rock band Mogwai touring there new album Mr Beast, in the intimate setting of Leicester University’s 'the venue'.
Kid606 warmed up the crowd with a devastatingly exciting mix of electro beats and drum and bass style madness. The crowd literally stood amazed as Miguel started the set... just one man, with one laptop on one stage pounding beats so hard every inch of the venue resonated.
Mogwai came onstage and induced the audience into a trance like state opening the set with 'Xmas Steps', a song which really shows the essence of Mogwai: Dynamic instrumental music with lengthy, hardcore guitar riffs! The gig couldn't have got off to a better start; the audience were truly owned and mesmerized for the whole of the set. After the clapping, cheering and stomping had cooled down Mogwai re-entered the stage for an encore, which was more than well received.
The stage setting and lighting was simple yet effective and each member except for bassist Dominic Aitcherson sported a green T-shirt to represent there Celtic routes. The atmosphere was a mix of anticipation, admiration and excitement from the audience.
The new album really shows that Mogwai are still at the top of their game and are continuing to produce some of the most influential post-rock around. Mogwai are a band not to be missed.
Summer Welsh
Nizlopi / Declan O’Rourke
@ The Cockpit, Leeds
Irish singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke has a cracking selection of folk songs and warms the crowd up before a couple of blokes walk into the centre of the crowd with a double bass and start singing and dancing in a circle. The blokes, of course, are Lemington Spa’s very own hip-hop folk duo Nizlopi. Unfortunately titled one hit wonders after their Christmas single last year about a certain piece of plant machinery, the baby-faced lads have plenty more sure fire hits up their sleeves.
John Parker’s mind blowing mixture of beat-boxing and double bass has many people wowed; to do one is hard enough, but to also use the bass as a piece of percussion as well is truly flabbergasting.
Luke Concannon’s constant giddiness gives me the impression that these lads are a couple of modern day Peter Pans who will never grow up, jumping all over on and off the stage like they have pants full of ants. A short rendition of ‘Sexual Feeling’ is an excuse for more singing from the crowd, as well as John’s funny deep voice and bass covering Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’.
‘JCB Song’ comes halfway through the set, along with ‘Call It Up’, and ‘Freedom’. The heavy hip hop influence and Luke’s excellent vocals give this band the unique edge it needs, along with the commitment and obvious enjoyment of it all by the childhood friends.
Declan joins in the fun on stage for the third to last song, improvising with the guitar and vocals. Definitely here for some time, you can’t dismiss these Nizlopi of riding on the JCB-sorry-bandwagon of one well-timed number one hit.
Danielle Millea
Tim Pare / Outroads
@ Memorial Hall, Sheffield City Hall
Tim Pare has been building something of a profile in Sheffield over the past few months. The city hall gig has been pretty much sold out on word of mouth for ages, and I’m willing to bet that pretty much everyone who went was glad they got in quick.
Tonight, Tim does a solo set with acoustic guitar, then Outroads play an acoustic set, and finally Tim comes back on with a full band. Each set is remarkably accomplished.
First up, then, is Tim and his guitar on their own (plus occasional cello and backing singer). It needs to be stated that Tim Pare is not for everyone. This is mainstream singer-songwriter territory; the audience tonight is accordingly the most middle-aged and middle-class crowd I can remember seeing. So, this is not one for the scenesters. What it is, though, is bittersweet poetry, mostly about failed relationships, full of poignant observation and packaged with melodies that really get under your skin and resurface after a few days, trouble you when you can’t immediately remember where they’re from, and refuse to leave.
A stripped-down, acoustic Outroads are next on, and good God they’re good. This is alt-country with elements of blues and weary soul, and it is enthralling. Three singers, violin, piano accordion, guitar and stomp-box intertwine and leave the listener wanting to book themselves on to the next flight to the Deep South (Mississippi, not Devon) carrying nothing but a bindle, a battered guitar and a heavy heart. If you haven’t already got Outroads recent album, perhaps you should.
Finally, Tim is back leading a four-piece band. Whilst treading similar lyrical territory to the solo set, the band set-up allows for greater emotional range. One obvious signpost is Ryan Adams, although there is less of a yearning swagger and more of a biting confessional in the air.
If there’s room in your head for brilliantly-crafted, mainstream acoustic pop, then you should go and see Tim Pare while you can. He’s scarpering to London soon. If all goes well, though, this will not be the last you see of him.
Seth Tempo
Pic Andy Brown
The Pipettes
@ The Leadmill, Sheffield
The Leadmill was packed for The Pipettes. It was one of those crowds that make a die-hard, snobbish music fan such as myself, think that the majority of the punters are not there so much for the band as for a Good Night Out. Nothing wrong in that I guess. I love girl groups. I love three-part harmonies and I love that late 50s, early sixties sound. So I should have had a good night out myself. But I left feeling disappointed, and drunker than I wanted to be. Drunker than I get at gigs when we are all loving the music so much that no-one wants to go to the bar.
The word I want to use to describe the performance is ‘efficient’. And you will know that in the exciting, chaotic, surprising and life-affirming world of live music, that is not really a compliment. But efficient is what it was. The three front women looked great in little polka-dot dresses. They sang their harmonies in tune and in time, making something pretty difficult look effortless. The session musicians in the background played competently. There were even one or two good songs in the mix. But there was
something about the delivery that made me feel I was watching a band that did not have a heart and soul. One of the singers commented at one point how fast the set was going. I
think that was because they seemed to be churning out the songs, getting to the end of one only to start the next one, like going through a ‘to-do’ list.
That is my point of view. But many of the crowd obviously felt differently and much more enthusiastically than I did about the whole Pipettes experience. The best thing about the night for me was the dance routines that accompanied the singing. All around me, grown men were mimicking the women on stage, waving their arms around, doing little shimmies and dancing like girls! They loved it, and when I got bored of the music I loved watching them. I can’t wait to go back to the Grapes to see my grimy, gutsy, local heroes strut their rock and roll stuff. Meanwhile I imagine The Pipettes will keep entertaining many people with their slightly clinical, well-choreographed shoop-shoop product.
Elly Tams
Peter, Bjorn & John
@ Fibbers, York
“Hello I'm Peter, this is Bjorn so I guess that makes him John,” points a bespectacled man with a Swedish twang, referring to the drummer taking his position behind. After undoubtedly making one of the albums of this year with Writer's Block, now was the chance to see what these guys sound and look like live.
York Fibbers is packed with swarms of skinny-jeaned new rave looking Klaxon-ite kids, who, along with the indie chic throngs, lapped up every song, including an encore which showcased two songs from their yet unreleased in the UK (but surely only a matter of time) other albums. In fact they didn't want to leave the stage by the end, Peter giving us mouth organ and shaker solos as Bjorn egged him on ever laughing.
'Young Folks' is PB&J's anthem and evokes (perhaps predictably) whistling on mass. Yet it seems only Peter, the lead whistler, can do so in exemplary tune. No Victoria Bergsman in attendance means Peter sings it alone, and despite his best efforts without her, the single that has become one of the indie anthems of 2006, is left feeling underwhelming. Bjorn does make valiant attempts to make up for her absence with his extremely high pitched backing warbling, in between his giggling of course.
But these guys aren't a one trick pony. They have songs in abundance of supremely high qualities of excellence. 'Objects of My Affection' stands out, Peter delivering the lyrics reminiscent of ‘A Day In The Life’-era Beatles. The stripped down acoustic version of the Bjorn led 'Amsterdam' generates rapturous appreciation and set closer 'Up Against The Wall' has everyone bobbing and dancing as Peter plays an extended version, demonstrating the full capabilities of his many pedals as he incorporates two guitars.
They look like a band having the time of their lives and surely it's only going to get better and better for these guys as the duly earned recognition grows. They demonstrate no stage fright, so energetic jumping around the stage and dancing with their instruments. John on drums stands up to drum mid songs so to join in the fun and Bjorn constantly smiles, laughing and joking with the crowd. PB&J pull it off with Swedish efficiency with a splattering of fun that leaves everyone smiling and feeling very cheery.
Mark Cook
Peaches
@ The Cockpit, Leeds
Clad in a provocative silver leotard and thigh high boots – attire that makes even Karen O look conservative - Peaches wasted no time in delivering her smutty anthems promising sexual liberation.
Spanning material from her three LPs, the set could be criticised for being somewhat formulaic – sly, deadpan lyrics (with the occasional bloodcurdling yell thrown in for good measure) against a flood of safe electronic sound made for unchallenging yet good, throwaway fun. Peaches however comes as more than simply a musical package – she is a curious mix of sexual revolutionary, empowered feminist and salacious performance artist, the result being a highly entertaining and unpredictable hour and a half.
Doing nothing clean and without attitude, Peaches assumed a commanding presence, gyrating and writhing her way across the stage, flinging her porn star clothing in the direction of her two bemused roadies whilst her all girl band The Herms (including riot girl J.D Samson of Le Tigre) pumped out raw, minimalist garage rock. Setting out to shock, the forbidden fruit at her best invited two enthusiastic fan girls up on stage who (embarrassingly) emulated her suggestiveness with their topless dancing evoking roars from the crowd.
It is apparent that Peaches and the concept of subtlety are far from compatible with the set becoming more and more absurdist. Hurling a giant inflatable penis into the crowd, Peaches purred “bring it back to mama…” as she launched into her notorious favourite ‘Fuck The Pain Away’
With her sexually frank lyrics; “ two guys for every girl…I don’t have to make a choice, I like girls, I like boys”, Peaches has the rare ability to connect with everyone from clubbers and feminists to fashionistas and party animals.
You may not agree with her belief system but it’s hard not to dance to it anyway.
Isabel Gillen-Smith
The Pipettes/The Hot Puppies/Actress Hands
@ The Leadmill, Sheffield
The Leadmill is jam packed with girls in tights and 60’s mini dresses – all wanting to mimic the main act.
First band on is Actress Hands. They are obviously experienced performers but their subdued lounge rock failed to impress the crowd. This band is technically flawless but ought to be on a more acoustic bill.
The next supports are Welsh band The Hot Puppies, who have just completed their first full-length album Under the Crooked Moon. Lead singer Becki has all the makings of a good front woman with every note sung with passion. She has an amazing voice that gives Kate Bush a run for her money. The band have that unique quality that means that the size of the audience doesn’t matter, you’d still get the full performance from them. The songs themselves are a lot different to the recorded versions. Instead of being quite happy pop-rock tunes they had a darker feel to them, there was a good contrast between eerie sounding songs and uplifting melodies. Songs such as ‘Green Eyeliner’ and ‘How Come You Don’t Hold Me No More’ are definitely worth a listen.
The entrance of The Pipettes disappointed. The girls mentioned they were halfway through the tour and seemed apologetic for rushing the set along a little. Things soon got going and banter between songs shows the girls are more than just pretty faces-they can crack a good joke or two as well! The audience are followed the dance moves and sang along with tracks like ‘Your Kisses are Wasted on Me’ and ‘It Hurts to See You Dance So Well’. Though other tracks like ‘Simon Says’ and ‘I Love You’ also stand out. There were tight harmonies and perfect dance routines. Despite what some critics say they are certainly no glamorised version of the Sheila’s Wheels ladies!
‘Sex’ which has the same drum fill as The Shirelles ‘Will You Still Love me Tomorrow’; and ‘Pull Shapes’ which has a more 80’s feel show the bands contrast in influences. The idea of taking of old girl groups and mixing it with more modern sounds currently set The Pipettes apart from the rest of the pop world. Even with bands like the Puppini Sisters trying the same ‘three-girl’ dynamic The Pipettes still seem to be pleasing the crowds.
Victoria Vardy
Public Enemy
Ist Birthday @ Plug, Sheffield
It’s been a long time since Public Enemy have been in the country, let alone Sheffield (aside from when Flavour Flav was on the reality show The Farm). The Plug sets the scene with an eager crowd waiting.
Public Enemy’s well know security men, the S1W’s take their places in front of the drummer and next to the retired Terminator X’s replacement DJ Lord, with a bass player and a lead guitarist standing in ceremony on stage while Professor Griff jumps around the stage getting the crowd going.
Surrounded by smoke Chuck D bounces on stage in black Adidas track suit with hood up blasting out verses of Welcome to the Terrordome; such a good entrance. PE’s comical Flavour Flav runs on stage a couple of songs into the set to a big cheer from the crowd and wearing an oversized basket ball shirt and of course his track mark clock swinging from his neck as he sways from side to side.
The crowd were treated to tracks like He Got Game, Bring the Noise, Don’t Believe The Hype, Black Steel in The Hour Of Chaos, Can’t Trust It and Flavour Flav favourites such as 911. Every track did not disappoint and were executed brilliantly and still as political as ever with jibes at Bush and Blair in between songs.
These HipHop Legends show that they still have it and are still up for it. You could tell that they really wanted to put on a show and to please the crowd. They were on stage for a massive two and a half hours too, but as Flavour Flav has his first solo album out soon he wanted to display some of his forgettable tracks. DJ Lord even had the tracks playing for him to sing over for when he forgot the words. This went on for about twenty minutes while Chuck D and Griff went backstage to leave him to it before bounding back on stage after to continue the real show.
If Public Enemy is your bag then don’t miss this show next time around. My only grumble real grumble was that I couldn’t hear very well for the next 24 hours.
Matt Whalley
pic Chris Saunders
