Back at my regular haunt during the eighties when it was the Town and Country but now it only gets a rare visit. After some recent good experiences with support acts we arrived early to a half full venue to take in Connie Constance. It’s fair to say it was a hard no for me. I was confused about what I was listening to. Not rocky enough to be a rock band, not poppy enough to be a pop band and the final song where her vocals were a John Lydon/Billie Joe Armstrong mash up left me cold. My opinion of course and there were plenty there who liked it and that’s why music so wonderful. One man’s goose and all that.
Next up is the main act whose trajectory has gone through the roof this year with a highly acclaimed album (one of my top ten for sure) and switching up venue sizes from pubs a year ago to the Forum now with a Brixton Academy show listed for next year. There are many references to this upgrade from enigmatic front man James Smith and while the big stage can often be intimidating for new bands he prowls around it likes he’s been playing these venues for years.
It’s an interesting audience mix tonight with a blend of 6 Music dads and young uns. We retired to a respectable distance ¾ of the way back on the floor to allow the mosh pit to kick in as he did from song one.
Whats follows is a breathless hour or so rattling through the debut album and Dark Days EP of talky, rappy rock. And man do these boys rock like the proverbial ba$tard$. They are a great band but they also don’t take themselves too seriously and Smith could have a second career as a stand up with his between song banter. He introduces the audience to a new song as the band launch into a rousing version of the Osmond’s ‘Crazy Horses’ and when finished announces next song is Puppy Love. At least half the audience got the reference.
Difficult to pick a highlight on a night of high standards but ‘Dark Day’s’ and ‘Fixer Upper’ were excellent and of course ‘The Overload’ is a classic main set closer. An outstanding night for one of the best new bands out there and these tunes were spinning around my head all night. Add them to your must see lists.
Keep on talky, rappy, rockin’ y’all