NME New Noise Tour @ Rescue Rooms for NG

One place I wouldn't want to be after the hottest day in ages is a small, dark room which is fit to bursting with other sweaty people. It was therefore unfortunate that tonight's NME New Noise Tour took place at the Rescue Rooms, which again was far too small for the job it had been asked to do.

The place resembled a sauna and with towels not provided I got the impression that I was in for a long, hot night of general discomfort. It's a relief to report then that some top class music from four up and coming acts made the night fly by and the inferno-like conditions were made far more bearable.

First up were White Lies who strolled onto the stage at the ridiculously early hour of 7pm. With a lead singer that sounded like Brandon Flowers from The Killers, this foursome produced a decent enough set which included some powerful, anthemic music as well as some satisfying guitar riffs. Their set was short however, and they didn’t address the crowd or move about at all. It almost seemed as if they couldn’t be arsed, which can't be said about Team Waterpolo who followed them onto the stage.

"Alright! Hello! We're Team Waterpolo, how is everybody doing?" yells their lead singer as if he’s warming up a crowd at Butlins. Their opening number, which includes the lyrics: "Welcome to the Team Waterpolo show" does little to dispel the feeling that we are stuck in a kids TV programme but the lads are able to recover with a feel-good set which fitted in with the recent summer weather brilliantly.

There is dancing and headbanging galore and loads of 'yeahs!' and 'wooos!' to let us know that Team Waterpolo are just that little bit mental. They look absolutely knackered at the end and you'd be hard-pushed to find a more enthusiastic band; this pop punk outfit are definitely a band to look out for.

Next up are Friendly Fires who a fair number of the crowd seem to have come to see. Their music is a delightful mixture of pop, indie, funk and dance and they get the crowd moving for the first time all night.

Pleasing electronic noises mingle with guitars and these guys have a real presence on stage; energetically leaping about the place and generally running themselves into the ground. All of the songs are well structured and the band display a talent for music which is impressive for their young years. Run of the mill they are certainly not, so expect to see more of this St Albans-based three-piece in the near future.

Things then go a little insane as the night finishes off with Canadian electro group Crystal Castles. Flashing strobe lights and smoke build the crowd up into a frenzy and at times it feels like we are at an underground rave. They create a unique, futuristic, alien sound using all sorts of different gadgets and it’s very entertaining indeed.

A manic mosh pit developed up the front which at times devoured lead singer Alice Glass like quicksand, and security have to step in on a couple of occasions to keep things under control. It's a hectic and fitting way to end a thoroughly good night, which showcased some of the names we could be hearing about in the not too distant future. Watch this space.

Review: Dan Palmer

Hot Hot Heat & The Thirst @ Rescue Rooms for NG

Hair Today - NG Magazine reviews Hot Hot Heat

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/

Young Knives @ Rescue Rooms for NG

Supporting the Young Knives tonight are the wonderfully-entitled Ungdomskulen. They hail from Norway and by all accounts have more than a few screws loose. This theory is confirmed when their front man promises to: “blow our underwear off!" Er, steady on mate! They launch into a chaotic set where their enthusiasm cannot be doubted.

They clearly enjoy playing and the energy rubs off on the crowd as they leap all over the stage. Rarely pausing for breath, the sound at times simply resembles a wall of noise but they also produce some pleasing high pitched riffs and the drumming is a real highlight. Cowbells and wooden blocks adjourn the kit to give their performance a refreshing sense of originality.


And so to The Young Knives who stroll on looking exceptionally dapper in shirts and ties. As years go, 2007 hasn't been half bad for the indie-punk three-piece. A UK headline tour, appearances at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds and a critically-acclaimed album that was nominated for this year’s Mercury Music Prize. Is it just me, or does that seem a tad greedy? The question now though, is whether they can keep up this phenomenal level of success. The Knives are currently recording that tricky second album, and it is one that promises to make or break their career. So many bands come and go after only the briefest of moments in the sun, so will Ashby De La Zouch's most famous export have what it takes to stick around?

The Rescue Rooms crowd eagerly await them and it seems strange that they are playing in such a small venue, giving their recent success (Rock City anyone?). A fair amount of new material was showcased tonight, mingled with tracks from that Mercury-nominated album, Voices Of Animals And Men. Predictably, the older songs go down better.

Recognised favourites such as Here Comes The Rumour Mill and The Decision get the crowd dancing at the front; the Knives' piercing guitars and in-your-face brashness goes down superbly. It is a highly energetic performance and the crowd cannot help but be swept up in the flow. New single Terra Firma is one of the highlights. Every band needs an anthem to push them to superstardom and this may well do it for them. It rockets along and the chorus promises to be instantly recognisable, expect to hear this on a TV advert, or at the very least, an episode of Hollyoaks.

However, with so few hits at their disposal the crowd are forced to calm down and simply listen to the new offerings. This is a problem the band themselves address, as lead singer Henry Dartnall casually quips: “You'll probably like this one when it's all over the telly." The band do their best to keep us entertained with Henry and his brother, the curiously named Thomas 'House Of Lords' Dartnall, constantly indulging in dry wit and amusing observations. This goes down well, ensuring that no-one gets bored and to be fair the new stuff shows a fair bit of promise.

Lightswitch and Up All Night in particular point to a bright future for the Knives and perhaps that tricky second album won't be so tricky after all. The newies display more pulsating riffs and there are a couple of slow numbers as well; the band developing and varying their style. Henry was probably right, when we get to know the new album we will be getting into these as much as the songs we already know. The encore ends with old favourite She's Attracted To which causes a frenzy at the front of the stage. One feels that there will be a few more crowd pleasers in the set when they next play Nottingham and they may not be playing such a small venue next time either.

Cutting Edge: Dan Palmer

http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/Blade_Trinity:_NG_Magazine_reviews_The_Young_Knives/