Despite what guitarist Rich thought, ECHO DYNAMO played a decent set. Whatever the sound was like on-stage, out front they sounded much meatier than the last time I heard them and overall were much improved and altogether more rocking than when I saw them a few months ago.
The venue might not be huge, but it's getting tight at the bar and the place is pretty much packed by the time ALVIN PURPLE begin their set. Rightly so: Alvin Purple are one of those bands that seem to have emerged fully formed. Their sound is rich, the metronomic drumming providing the perfect foil for the thumping and occasionally funk-tinged bass and textured guitar playing that all meld together to deliver a tight, brooding New Wave-influenced rock sound. I daresay it's completely unrelated to my previous review where I bemoaned the absence of 'Stare to Declare' on the set list, but to my pleasure they opened with it tonight and it was belting. Carly Humphries is a natural front woman and possesses an impressive vocal range. And she can play guitar. New song 'Trust' proves that their initial batch of material was no fluke, and their Joy Division T-shirt wearing guitarist conjures shards of shimmering, multi-faceted sound from his amp with a remarkable fluency. Why on earth aren't this band getting more press?
CLUB SMITH, too, just get better, and there can be no question regarding the fact that they're a band who are constantly evolving, and in the right direction. That the place is heaving is testament to this, ad tonight they're launching new single 'No Friend of Mine' on the back of having recently signed to front Wall Records.
While they may have started out riding the indie synth-pop tsunami, they've come on in leaps and bounds and since bringing the guitars to the fore they've become an altogether more exciting proposition. What's more, they're good, and while I may not have warmed to them immediately during their initial synth-dominated phase, they've roughened the smooth edges and evolved into a dynamic band of genuine quality, and with a real energy and vibe.
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But is being good - even really good – enough? And are Club Smith exemplars of the zeitgeist of simply bandwagon jumpers? I may have suggested that they began as the latter, but have shifted to become the former, having truly found their sound of late. But the simple fact is that there are bands of a remarkable standard to be found all over, bands that sound as good as the major-leaguers, bands that have the songs as well as the charisma an the panache, and yet are still playing tiny venues up and down the country for four or five quid. The blast through their set with an infectious energy, and the new single, reserved for the penultimate song of the set with it's shoutalong chorus is stonking, combining the sneer of Arctic Monkeys with the choppiness of Franz Ferdinand with the benefit of a rocket up their arse, and the night ends a hot clammy mess of fun. If Club Smith don't go further, it's down to pure misfortune. With a a rapidly-expanding CV of high-profile support slots, a string of high-quality releases, plus a tour with Pigeon Detectives already behind them this year, the odds are likely to be in their favour.
Club Smith Online
Alvin Purple Online
Echo Dynamo on MySpace
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