Los Campesinos at Newcastle Student Union

Reviewed by Rob Sellars

There is something about Los Campesions! being in Newcastle that appears to attract trouble. Of the two times that they have played in the Union before, once there was a mass stage invasion, and the other time the band had to stop mid-song after two charming Geordies came to blows in the middle of the audience. Talking to Gareth, lead vocalist of the band, before the gig, reaffirmed the suspicion that just maybe their brand of raw indie-pop and dark edged lyrics took the Newcastle crowd to places they just weren’t used to. Thus the band and fans alike were heading into the gig with a sense of anticipation, a knowledge that something always happens when the ever growing band steps into the student’s domain. While there were no fist fights or unruly crowd activities tonight, the band still delivered as they always do, with a heavyweight package of thundering hooks, passionate vocals and true rock sensibilities.

On record Los Campesinos! are sometimes burdened with the unenviable label of being a little twee, but when it comes to their live performance, they don’t so much banish such thoughts as take their twee-pop image, thrust it through a blender then scream their lyrics back in its face. Despite earlier admitting to suffering from the rigours of a whistle stop tour, Gareth is as always determined to throw himself around every square centimetre of the venue, while flicking between vocals that are one second raucous screams and the next quiet contemplation. He is as always backed ably by a band that seem determined to cover every instrument on the planet, including new member Kim’s skills on the drone box, which for all the world I cannot figure out. Despite losing second singer Alexis to her studies, Kim steps in perfectly to the void and none of the power or charm of their earlier songs is lost, as they thunder through a set that features all their favourites as well as five new songs. One or two of the new songs still sound like they need work, but with the new album, Romance is Boring, not due till next February, this is the perfect testing ground for such experimentation. There are Listed Buildings and The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future both promise a lot for the new album and show a new found maturity in both their music and Gareth’s lyrics. From their first two albums, tracks such as We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, You! Me! Dancing! and Ways to Make it Through the Wall receive particularly frenzied responses, and closer Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks sends everyone out into the night with a heavy sweat on and a smile.

Anyone who headed to the gig expecting a flawless and refined showing and a polished vocal performance may well have been disappointed, but then to ask for such things would be to take away part of the essence of Los Campesinos, the power and passion that puts them head and shoulders above many of their peers and means they are so much more than twee.