The Ting Tings

Salford duo, The Ting Tings have found themselves at the top of various ‘ones to watch out for in 2008’ tip lists. Whilst this obviously means generating a lot of hype this can also be a double edge sword as it means people who do turn up to your gigs will be expecting something special. Their sound is catchy, chart friendly indie-pop with much of the music appearing out of the ether via the magic of technology. Various loop machines give them a bigger sound and also give singer Katie White space to pout, clap, strut and yelp her way through their short but punchy 30 minute set.
Their set is full of indie dance floor gems and there are some fine hooks, particularly in the singles ‘That's Not My Name’ and ‘Great D.J’ which gets the arriving crowd toe tapping. The band confess they find it hard to come on first, especially after the party they put on in Manchester the previous night and although their party sound may suit a crowd already warmed by support acts they do a good job of getting the crowd going. It is not hard to imagine the Ting Tings putting on a good party, as the next act ‘Does It Offend You, Yeah’ vouch for, in the interview they talk of their wide range of music tastes and their love of eccentric D.J mixes, it is apparent that they have as much fun off stage as they do on it. On this evidence it seems the ting tings are a name to watch out for in 2008. Their infectious pop songs have rightly generated interest from big names (including Rick Rubin of all people) and on tonight’s showing look set to become regulars on dancefloors everywhere.

Review by Christian Allen

Pull Tiger Tail @ Academy II 21/05/08

Having kept quiet for a while Pull Tiger Tail decided to go on a full UK tour right in the middle of exam time. It was announced shortly before it kicked off, the late notice is most likely the explanation for a mere 103 tickets being sold in advance. This London band had not been on tour for a while, and does not seem to have spend that much time in the studio either as the planned album still has not come out and they have been releasing single after single.
On that Wednesday night the top floor of the academy was filled with mostly 14 year-old girls, to my surprise there were a lot of boys in the same age group present as well. I felt rather old at 19. Pull Tiger Tail seem to be underrated as they themselves probably would prefer having a fan base that is not so narrowed down, and their music should appeal to more people anyways. On stage they have a lot of charisma, confidence and they know that they are good without turning into the arrogant rockstar, maybe because they are indie? They are good looking and have an impressive stage presence; in a way they are entertainers. Starting everything off with the mentioning of a haircut that they had given their lead singer earlier in the day. Jumping around and just having loads of fun and energy on stage seems to be their motto.
But the gig wasn’t all that much fun, there was a bizarre Newcastle band as the support. Coming in later that planned Deathcrew 92 shocked by not having a drummer. The drums where preformed by a computer plugged into the system the so called ‘drummer’ made sure the right drum track was being played. What made all of this worse was the fact that the drums appeared to be the most emphasized instrument this band had.
Even with the beginning of the gig being confusing and deceiving Pull Tiger Tail preformed great without deceiving one tiny bit. The future of the band is interesting as well. If they want to go back to Uni they would have to do it in September, which would put the band on hold for a year.

Review by Solveig Werner

Mystery Jets @ The Cluny 19/04/08

If someone says ‘Mystery Jets’ I say “Arrrggggghhhhhghghgh!!!!!” - this is a good reaction, by the way. I can safely say I had been looking forward to this gig for exactly a million years. One of my favourite bands in one of my favourite venues: YUM. And yummy it was, this mouth-watering evening started off with a nibbler from local lady Beth Jeans Houghton, think Regina Spektor with a dash of Laura Marling - delish. Dished up next were Little Comets, without expecting too much, these boys did more than pleasantly surprise; they blew my frickin’ socks off. Filled to the brim with scrummy, poppy, chantey, dance-y goodness; I wanted to order seconds.After appetisers like these I was greedy for more, Mystery Jets were my main course and desert rolled into one neat, tasty set. From the sweet depths of their older tracks such as ‘Diamonds in the Dark’, to the juicy highlights of upcoming single ‘Two Doors Down’ they delighted and charmed the 350 capacity room. Having heard that previously the band invited a crowd member onstage to sing Laura Marling’s part in ‘Young Love’, I was slightly disappointed when Blaine sang the part himself and I was unable to display my amazing vocal talent! (Cough cough). As with most over 18 gigs the crowd were slightly reluctant to ‘jam out’, but with a ‘Zoo Time’ encore even the coolest of cucumbers couldn’t resist to burn a few musical calories.

Review by Marzena Dabrowska (photos by Solveig Werner)

Elbow @ Carling Academy 05/04/08

Shortly after entering the Academy, at the excruciatingly early (in gig terms) time of 7.10pm, I find myself bombarded with the howling blues-rock of San Francisco’s Two Gallants. Comprised of guitarist and vocalist Adam, and rather feral-looking drummer Tyson, they are undoubtedly one of the most brilliant support acts I have seen for months, causing an instant, and surprisingly noisy, impact upon the not-quite-fully-assembled crowd. In what seems like no time at all however, they are off and Elbow’s crew are on to prepare for the main event.
Elbow are often seen as the ‘thinker’s alternative’ to bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay. However, where these bands are bland and boring, Elbow are not only intelligent but, in performance, both sweepingly epic and riotous. Their astounding musicianship does not substitute, but constantly understates their superiority as life-affirming anthems pound through the PA. Opening with the orchestral pomp of ‘Starlings’, the band members enter to the tinkling arpeggios of a pre-recorded track, accompanied by an all-female string section, and pick up trumpets for a first, sharp blast of things to come. The fact that singer Guy Garvey’s trumpet is not amplified and is therefore merely for show simply adds to the audience’s amusement and appreciation of the effort of causing a spectacle. The Latino-flecked ‘The Bones of You’ is dispatched next, causing much dancing and spilling of drinks. Soon after this we are treated to a track that many would argue is Elbow’s best, the bluesy stomp-a-long of ‘Leaders of The Free World’. The uproar at the forefront of the crowd says it all as Guy Garvey’s astounding stage presence incites mayhem. He may look like a plumber, but it is this ‘bloke-from-Manchester’ quality that makes him so endearing. He is undoubtedly perfect for the presentation of such gorgeous music, leaning over the crowd with a huge grin on his face, swaying his arms and serenading his followers with his gruff, yet cherubic, voice. ‘Mirrorball’s floating piano line and yearning lyrics make it a heartbreaking precursor to the Zeppelin-esque guitar drive of recent single ‘Grounds for Divorce’, which in turn sharply contrasts with the expertly crafted ‘The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver’. All is going swimmingly, and during one of his many addresses to the crowd, Guy ponders upon the band’s recent duet with Sheffield crooner Richard Hawley. ‘We thought it was a shame that Richard couldn’t be here with us tonight’, he explains, ‘so…….here he is!’ and, as if by magic, Richard Hawley ambles on to the stage to mass applause for a rousing version of ‘The Fix’. A few songs later and the band are closing the set with a stunning organ-led seven-minute ‘Newborn’ from debut ‘Asleep In The Back’ and provoking a mass sing-a-long to the gospel-tinged ‘One Day Like This’, its uplifting strings and repeated refrain of ‘Throw those curtains wide, one day like this a year will see me right!’ continuing for what seems like forever without losing its majesty. All it would take for Elbow to cement their place as a special band in the hearts of many was a killer encore, and they did not disappoint. ‘Station Approach’, their ever-popular love letter to Manchester, shakes the venue, and as the band once more bring out Richard Hawley for the ultimate crowd-pleaser ‘Grace Under Pressure’ (which is ‘a bit Catholic’, according to Mr Garvey), everybody in the venue is left stunned and exhilarated. Bring on the festivals.

Review by Kate Edwards

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

Kid Harpoon @ Head of Steam, 25/02/08

The current UK tour of Kid Harpoon kicked off on the 25th of February in Newcastle in the Head of Steam. The venue was packed, and well that can’t be a bad thing. Kid Harpoon has great stage presence that was combined with really good music. The band had a new guitarist, it was his first gig, so Kid decided to point this out at one moment during the show and well they decided to play a song which they never played live before so that he would not feel out of place. The music is marked by loads of things, but I think the voice of Kid Harpoon is probably what makes it especially good.
Lupen Crook and the murder birds were on right before Kid Harpoon. Lupen and his pirates like crew were all on drugs. Their songs sounded like a mix of eastern European folk rock. After the gig they tried to get money off everyone, so they decided to slit open the tired of Kid’s van, resulting in them being arrested.
The seven-piece band, New Vinyls, from Newcastle were the first support band. They definitely do what good music should sound like. Their set was marked by songs that are musically impeccable and are really good lyric wise. It was like an invitation to dance, maybe because their music is not only quite catchy but also very original.

Review by Solveig Werner

The Wooden Spoons at the Academy 2 on February 22nd

Each time the Wooden Spoons have a gig they prove that they have musical talent and innovation. Their stage presence is impressive even when you are tired and it is already past midnight, the music wakes one up and gets you into the mood for dancing. The catchy lyrics of some of the songs caused a handful of spectators to sing along. Cabaret definitely has an influence on the tunes, but also seems to have one on the dress style of the 4 band members, or well the hats that they wear while being on stage. If you have a chance to catch the Wooden Spoons live you should definitely not miss out on it. Another thing to look forward to is the upcoming single.
The supporting act were the Out Of Towners, they were also very appreciated, but don’t seem to have to have a very unique sound or trade mark of their own.

Review by Solveig Werner