Things don't start too well for me at the Rescue Rooms tonight. My first mistake comes when I spend £2.80 on what turns out to be a quite frankly awful pint of Worthington's. I'm no sandal wearing CAMRA member but this was just really, really bad. It left me desperate for a proper drink, or at least for something that wasn't 90% water, but unfortunately I didn't have any more money with me. That, as you may have gathered, was my second mistake. Right, this music had better be good then.
First on are The Thirst, who in a world full of mundane guitar bands are a breath of fresh air. Apparently ex-Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood saw them once and signed them on the spot and I can't say I'm surprised. The Brixton trio are on a bit of a roll at the moment, having recently supported the infamous Sex Pistols, and they produce a set which is loud, fast and full of life.
It is a highly original performance which sees fast paced vocals mingle with guitars, and in the main it works. Piercing riffs allow for some extremely catchy and funky music, with elements of soul and hip hop creeping into the sound. It is a pity that the crowd don't really respond. At times the set was too frantic, and you could hardly hear singing over the wall of guitars. But in the main it was a great performance which certainly quashed memories of dodgy pints of beer.
The five members of Hot Hot Heat arrive on stage led by singer/keyboardist Steve Bays, who sports a simply amazing perm. The Canadian rockers have not really hit the big time on these shores, with Bandages being the only song that most people have really heard of. I remember dancing to it back in my undergraduate days (*sigh*) and it is no doubt a corking tune, but for one reason or another it never propelled them to superstardom [Ed’s note: try the fact that Radio 1 banned it from their playlist.]
In tonight's set the song is the highlight by a country mile, sending the mosh pit into an over excited frenzy. The only problem is that most of the other songs seem tame in comparison. The lads are accomplished musicians, and they play a pleasing selection of indie-punk pop, but few of the songs could be considered groundbreaking. With nothing to back Bandages up, it perhaps becomes clear why they never broke through in this country. No Not Now and Harmonicas and Tambourines are obvious high points, but the rest just seems to blend into one and could be described as good, but not great.
You can’t fault the band's enthusiasm and energy though. Bays is a busy man, playing keyboard with one hand and holding a microphone with the other, but he still tries to play the frontman role by dancing all over the stage. He regularly surges towards us, but with one hand permanently glued to the keys it looks like he is playing a game of Twister with himself.
If I'm sounding a little harsh then it must be said that a lot of people were enjoying it. An army of teenage fans towards the front of the stage enthusiastically lap up everything the band does. Bays energetically plays the crowd, and most of them think he can do no wrong. He shows no qualms in posing for pictures on the cameras which are frequently thrust in his face, and at one point he dips his head into the front row to allow a lucky few to play with the perm.
With so many people having fun, Hot Hot Heat begin to enjoy themselves, and even I begin to let up. It's hard to be critical around so many happy people, and when they launch into Let Me In, a powerful track, I'm tempted to dance along with the rest. I left with a smile on my face, but it is important to remember that tonight’s gig took place in the relatively small Rescue Rooms. I would hazard a guess that everyone who wanted to be here tonight probably was and that Hot Hot Heat would struggle to fill bigger venues. In this country at least, the Canadians have found their level.
Gone Tomorrow: Dan Palmer
Images: Matt Birhanzel
http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/Hair_Today:_NG_Magazine_reviews_Hot_Hot_Heat/
