HOPE OF THE STATES have been playing some ‘secret’ gigs across the country during April and this one is so secret that, so the rumour goes, their manager doesn’t even know about it!
Apparently though, the news has been leaked on their website and Vida is full to capacity with a sense of high anticipation and holiday mood. Since the tragic death of their guitarist Jimmi Lawrence earlier this year HOTS have been knocked sideways but, as this gig proves, they remain full of the energy and optimism that created such a special buzz around the band last year.
This gig seems like an excuse for the band to have a May Day party with their dear friends, KOMAKINO, and this informal atmosphere extends throughout the crowd to make for a truly unforgettable experience.
Billed as an acoustic set, only HOTS singer, Sam Herlihy and their violinist, Mike, take to the Vida ‘stage’. Due to problems with the bar’s PA equipment Sam soon takes the Libertine-esque decision to take the set out onto the streets of Derby. The crowd follow and those who can get close enough – or strain their ears – are treated to a truly special and beautiful acoustic set.
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The starry-eyed crowd are tempted back inside for the unique and brilliant experience that is Komakino. After some of their own material, including the haunting "Assassin", and - in response to a particularly strange heckler within the crowd - singer Ryan decides to launch into a brilliantly Komakino-ised version of Blondie’s ‘Hanging on the Telephone’. This goes down so well that HOTS’ Sam joins them on stage for a fantastically drunken and loved-up rendition of The Libertines’ ‘Up The Bracket’. As Ryan says, this is supposed to be a fun night, and the set ends on this note – breathless, shambolic and jubilant!
Hope Of The States and Komakino are on tour together throughout May and I can only recommend that you try and catch them under the spotlights and experience for yourselves the special energy surrounding these two unique bands.
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