10.15.07
It’s not for the cock, it’s for a victorious step up
The Maccabees- Rock City 10/10/2007
Laura Marling and her band make a jaunty, pretty pleasing pop folk sound that, despite much talking, gets a fairly positive reaction from tonights crowd. Marling has quite obvious songwriting talent and displays a fantastic voice, however her backing band succeed in sucking out a lot of soul from her performance and make her sound like many of the other post-Libs bands with Kooks-ish ambitions.
Derek Meins- tonights compere and singer/poet/beatnik-baffles and mildly bores the crowd rather than firing them up. He may be original, but shouting, making sex noises and looking like a dodgy Jack Penate does not a good compere make, sadly.
After a short wait and an eclectic playlist, The Maccabees take to the stage with their usual slightly shy, but endearing, manner and proceed to raise the roof. “About Your Dress” is (as if it could be anything else) fantastic. Bass driven verses with odd art-rock guitar spurts before the music explodes and the crowd ignite into a sea of thrashing bodies. The song features the brilliently sickening lyrics- “I noticed you/you stood out like a sore thumb/the most beautiful sore thumb I’d ever seen” which goes against all logic and acts as call to arms for the whole venue.
The chemistry between singer Orlando Weeks and guitarist Felix White is clear to all and great to watch. At one point Weeks lowers the microphone towards the guitarist’s mouth from above before they both jump away and do their funny little dances (see the odd, one legged hopping for Mr.White).
The new songs played tonight are very promising indicators for future album material, too. Dark, brooding songs that build up into an explosive climax suggests a more melodic and in depth side to the band.
It has to be said that tonight’s crowd is excellent. It is refreshing to be at a Rock
City gig in which the hardcore, sing-every-word fans vastly outnumber those who have heard perhaps one song and just want to sing football songs all over the music whilst spilling lager down themselves.
After reeling off the likes of “About Your Dress” and “Latchmere” fairly early in the set, The Maccabees are clearly a band happily free of the “one big song” curse. Unlikely but swelling love songs- “Toothpaste Kisses” and “First Love” unite the audience whilst the bizarre, spiky anthems about leisure centres and train drivers make them go nuts.
The Maccabees have made an altogether seamless leap from playing pretty smallish venues to headlining 1500 capacities as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Tonight the band are at their most impressive, fierce, heart warming and ferocious best.
The Maccabees:
The Maccabees album “Colour It In” is out now so buy it.
Brooke said,
October 16, 2007 at 3:30 pm
That sounds amazing. can’t wait to hear the new stuff.
wish i could have been there. gutted.
x