The Automatic at Northumbria 01/10/2008

For the third time in my life I attended a gig by the Welsh band The Automatic. It was in fact the second time in less than two weeks. I had not in anyway planned to go to this gig, but you can’t always plan how life works out for you. After having interviewed Frost I was asked if I would like to go to the gig later that night.
I missed the opening act Operahouse, and that when they were a band that I was really hoping on seeing. Lately it seems like that I miss out on the first support band, you could blame Rob and Frost of the Automatic for that.
The second support act was Dinosaur Pileup, band from Leeds that are on their first major tour at the moment. For me it is rather hard to describe what they were like. They put a lot of energy to show. Behaved like they owned the world when they played their music and were shy when it came to talking to the people. With their long hair they were playing heavier rock, not something that you can call indie. Some of their songs were very melodic, while others weren’t. I can’t complain about what they gave to show, I very much enjoyed myself, even though it isn’t my favorite type of music.
The Automatic! As I already said this was the third time that I saw them. I was a bit deceived by the second time, but this is about the third concert I attended. So I must say I was well impressed, the music was good, the crowed was good, which is always a good thing. I think they very much enjoyed themselves playing for a public that was to an extent made up of friends of their newest member who in fact is from Sunderland. The setlist was not just focusing on the songs of the new Album, but also on classics of the debut album, including the obligatory Monster, I feel sorry for them that they more or less have to play that song at each of their gigs. And of course Raoul got played. They almost seemed embarrassed when playing their second to last song Love In The Club the cover of the Usher song they had done for Live Lounge this August. Now I am wondering when I will next see the Automatic reform live.

Review by Solveig Werner

The Futureheads @ Northumbria University 03/03/08

One night I did not know what to do with myself and as my previous plans had all evaporated I decided to go to the Futureheads gig. Not being a big Futureheads fan I still enjoyed myself well and truly dancing to the catch tunes. As I am writing this a bit late or well very late I have to rake through my memory in order to reconstruct the gig. This Sunderland band knows exactly how to deal with the local public. The songs woke all the tired souls up and gave half of the public twinkly toes. They are a real good live band that probably has more potential than is normally thought they have. Shoes were taken off and thrown into the air, one almost hitting the singer.
Besides the Futureheads Newcastle’s Uncle Monty did a good performance, gaining some more listeners that were interested in the free cd, a marketing tactic that can be questioned but is definitely a way to get yourself known in the ears of a wide range of people when you are a smaller band. Small band what a term, the unknown or ‘small bands’ make great music a lot of times and do sound quite good when it comes down to it.
The first support band do not even need mentioning, they were not good at all, and well I forgot by the time they were done with their set what they were called…

Review by Solveig Werner