Saw these guys supporting Brakes at the 100 Club last night, and they were fantastic. Really quite mesmerising, with a fantastic lead singer who was full of cheeky Scouse stage presence. They finished with one of the most amazing things I've heard from an 'indie' guitar band - a ten minute sun-drenched ibiza house instrumental. Looking around at the time, there were very few people without big grins on their faces during it.
http://www.myspace.com/themaybesliverpool
They have the potential to be huge.
Saturday 21 June 2008
Monday 9 June 2008
The greatest band in the world are .... SPARKS!
And I say this with complete conviction. What other band has created 21 of the most exciting, innovative, and beautiful albums over a 37 year period, never falling back on a popular or well-proven musical template at the cost of exploring new sonic possibilities? What other band with anything like such an extensive back catalogue would undertake to play each album sequentially, over 21 nights in a four week period? That's 264 songs, requiring four solid months of rehearsals. And before you think that all the music may simply be programmed and delivered by computer, its not. They are doing this with a full band. And to think that we sometimes get excited when our other favourite bands throw in an old song they haven't done for a while!
Which brings me to Saturday night's performance of Plagiarism. This was their 1997 Sparks 'Tribute' album, which saw the band returning to some of their own favourite Sparks songs and reinventing them with new time codes, full orchestation etc. Listening to the album again yesterday morning, I worried that they may simply not be able to do it live, so musically complex was it, but boy! how wrong I was! For this 'one night only' gig they had drafted in and fully rehearsed a string and brass section from Trinity College of Music. Just imagine reheasing a 12 piece orchestra whilst also yourself rehearsing 264 songs worth of material. Mindboggling.
And you would perhaps think that performing so many albums, night after night, might render the performances a little rough around the edges, lacklustre or even a bit slapdash? But this is absolutely not the case. Each of the four albums I have seen so far (Music You Can Dance To, Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins, Plagiarism, and Balls) have been performed with utter professionalism, verve and exuberance.
There are still a few albums to go this week. If you are able, I would highly recommend you try to catch as many as you can. These gigs are very special indeed.
Which brings me to Saturday night's performance of Plagiarism. This was their 1997 Sparks 'Tribute' album, which saw the band returning to some of their own favourite Sparks songs and reinventing them with new time codes, full orchestation etc. Listening to the album again yesterday morning, I worried that they may simply not be able to do it live, so musically complex was it, but boy! how wrong I was! For this 'one night only' gig they had drafted in and fully rehearsed a string and brass section from Trinity College of Music. Just imagine reheasing a 12 piece orchestra whilst also yourself rehearsing 264 songs worth of material. Mindboggling.
And you would perhaps think that performing so many albums, night after night, might render the performances a little rough around the edges, lacklustre or even a bit slapdash? But this is absolutely not the case. Each of the four albums I have seen so far (Music You Can Dance To, Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins, Plagiarism, and Balls) have been performed with utter professionalism, verve and exuberance.
There are still a few albums to go this week. If you are able, I would highly recommend you try to catch as many as you can. These gigs are very special indeed.
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