Supporting The Mystery Jets were unsigned London band DR FILTH. As friends of the band, the group wrangled three support dates on the UK tour, and this gig at the Cluny was their last night.
The band came on stage looking like extras out of some crappy Halloween film, with the bassist wearing a white shirt covered in blood (fake -I hope) and a (blatantly fake) moustache, and
the lead singer looking not dissimilar to Edward ScissorHands (minus the scissors for purely practical reasons).
This band are hardcore. "RRAAAHHH" hardcore and it was interesting to watch, to say the least. The audience seemed to love them though- shouting for more after songs like 'Twickenham Green' and 'This Is Paper,' came with tunes full of heavy (and I mean heavy) bass riffs and angry bellowing from the lead singer.
My personal favourite was the last song (and no not just for that reason!), an instrumental imaginatively called 'Bludgeoning' with screeching. Muse-esque guitar solos backed by a driving drumbeat.
After a two pint interval THE MYSTERY JETS finally cram themselves onto the tiny stage smartly dressed in suits, to chanting of "zootime, zootime, zootime". The backdrop to the set looks like old fashioned wallpaper with a dark red and black swirling design and the band are overlooked by a picture of Syd Barrett (of Pink Floyd fame) framed in a life-bouy emblazoned with the words 'The Mystery Jets, Eel Pie Island' (Eel Pie Island being a hip and happening place in 1960s London, complete with a hippie commune and a weekly residency from the Rolling Stones).
Opening song (yep, you guessed it) 'Zootime' is a jerky affair with off beat singing from vocalist Blaine Harrison and syncopated drumming coming from the two, yes two, drum kits. One of these looks like a homemade creation with what appears to be a dustbin lid masquerading as a cymbal and saucepan just there for the hell of it.
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The band are full of energy, and whiz through the set, playing gems such as last single 'Dennis' (to the delight of the audience) and 'Purple Prose'. Their songs are catchy, edgy and bursting with vigour, with two of the guitarists sharing a microphone for the choruses and one of the drummers narrowly missing poking the bassist behind him in the eye during 'Trembling Day.'
The all too short seven song set finishes with new single 'Alas Agnes' and cries of disappointment from the audience. It's a cracking tune to finish to though, being catchy and upbeat, sounding totally different to a lot of other new music around at the moment.
The Mystery Jets have been branded by members of the musical press as the hot new band of the moment, and it's easy to see why. This band are hip and cool- but without the arrogance of
other more successful artists. They are enthusiastic, energetic and seemed to be amazed at the response from the crowd. It was an amazing night and I would definitely recommend this band to everyone!
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