I first met MAXIMO PARK actually at an aftershow party at two friends’ of mine council estate flat in Brick Lane, East London. It was after a gig they did at the Barfly, and my friends being two gorgeous blonde Swedes, managed to drag the whole club down to their flat for an after party. I was talking to the lead singer Paul Smith in the kitchen, being absolutely drunk off my face. I recall, not paying much attention to what he was saying but I was totally in awe of his silky tartan Vivienne Westwood tie he was wearing. Although I did remember saying he was the newest and only rock artist signing to Warp records and that he always wears suits on stage. Our encounter was interrupted though by a rather eager lady who totally barged into our conversation and started kissing him. I don’t think she was his girlfriend, but that was my cue to leave.
Fast forward 9 months and I am attending to review their gig at the Metropolitan University previously known as the University of North London in Holloway. The gig tonight is a celebration as the day before the nominations for the Mercury Prize had been announced and surprise surprise Maximo Park’s album ‘A Certain Trigger’ was up for one.
The venue although virtually unknown was a very nice backdrop for the evening, an average size hall protected under a Victorian style baby blue arch with white engravings and patters. Then Maximo Park came on. What a stylish band they are, from their album covers, to their clothes, all down to a tee, it’s a pretty amazing package. The all came on stage impressively and impeccably dressed (probably Vivienne Westwood) in black suits, black shirts, black ties, and white shoes. With frontman Paul Smith centre stage all theatrical and spasmodic, with his hair all swept to one side like a mad professor without his thick coke bottle bottom specs, belting out intro song "Limassol", funnily enough a seaside port in Cyprus, but I think he maybe referring to a girls’name.
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Maximo Park may not be my cup of tea, music-wise, but nonetheless I was wooed: these guys are very likeable, and watching them was well worth my while The gig proceeded with one powerful song after the next, pure rock pop music at its best, with singles releases ‘Graffiti’ and ‘Going Missing’ jigging my memory. Audiences found themselves completely engaged and captivated by their performance, what started out a cool stylish combed crowd was quickly transformed to a sweaty, jumping a round, arms in the air shouting out lyrics.
Paul is a true performer, an artist of sorts. The intensity of his face, jerky body movements, the seriousness of his eyes and his impressive air-splits, all perfectly choreographed yet effortlessly natural. They are macabre, modish, theatrical, and musically perfectly tight and very professional. Truly amazing.
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