The Cribs / The Luxury / Ra Ra Riot / White Rabbits
Middle East Downstairs
Cambridge, MA
May 4, 2007
“I hadn’t heard any of these bands before tonight,” announced The Luxury’s lead singer, Jason Dunn, mid-set, “and it’s great to be blown away.” Indeed, the British Accents’ Anniversary event at the Middle East Downstairs definitely blew away the audience as well. Hipsters and anglophiles alike were treated to four stellar bands: Boston-based The Luxury, White Rabbits and Ra Ra Riot (both from New York), and The Cribs from England.
White Rabbits kicked off the evening. While they had great energy, their stage presence was unfortunately lacking. The band’s bluesy, Strokes-like set was a touch forced and unimpassioned. Regardless, their outstanding song “Tourist Trap” gave a taste of the band’s hidden talent. Layering gorgeous harmonies over soulful piano, “Tourist Trap” made one eager to hear more of their less-frenzied material.
Ra Ra Riot picked up next and got the crowd jumping. The band exploded into their fast-paced set and was definitely entertaining to watch: all band members gyrated about the stage, confidently immersed in their playing. Singer Wesley Miles delivered Robert Smith-like vocals over songs that were reminiscent of both Devo and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
With Oasis-like confidence and a Britpop-inspired sound, The Luxury blasted their tunes through the packed venue. The lads brought raw, honest energy to the stage, rocking out while maintaining an even pace and tight sound. Their strong presence supported the upbeat tunes and huge sound, ultimately delivering an engaging performance that had the crowd whooping and dancing. Dunn’s spot-on vocals soared through The Middle East during the high-impact “Seven Stories” from the band’s latest album, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things. Demonstrating their impressive musical range, The Luxury seamlessly shifted into their anthem, “Rockets and Wrecking Balls,” channeling The Verve via heartfelt vocal melodies and masterful guitar, bass and drums.
Headliners The Cribs delivered a harsh, thundering set, heavily accented by punk rock. The band thrilled fans, who were treated to both old and new material, with a good selection taken from their latest album, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever. The raucous lads even kept it together while drummer Ross Jarman leapt all over the place maniacally. Overall, The Cribs gave a stadium-worthy set to a great bunch of devoted fans who loved the entire performance.
-Review by Miriam Lamey
The Shills / Mike Fiore / The Rising Son
Paradise Lounge
Boston, MA
May 6, 2007
Two decidedly non-lounge bands, The Shills and The Rising Sons, rocked out at the Paradise Lounge alongside ex-Faces on Film vocalist Mike Fiore on this particular Sunday night. Despite the relaxed venue, all artists put on great performances, generating an enthusiastic response from the crowd.
The Rising Sons looked young, but their set was mature and exciting. Initial technical problems (an abundance of feedback) luckily failed to affect the band’s performance. The guys sounded reminiscent of The New York Dolls, The Clash and The Ramones, but clearly had their own style; their breed of moody, angst-fuelled rock smashed through the venue and shook the audience considerably. Their big, punky sound echoed throughout the room, and the singer’s forceful vocals demanded the audience’s attention. The Rising Sons are certainly a band that is “on the rise;” their catchy songs and excellent cover of The New York Dolls’ “Personality Crisis” showcased their talent and devotion to celebrating their influences.
Mike Fiore followed with a quieter, yet utterly beautiful set. Accompanied only by a slide guitarist, Fiore presented original tunes with intriguing lyrics. His Modest Mouse-infused indie ballads struck poignant chords, accented by the well-utilized slide guitar, and the audience loved it.
The Shills completed the evening with an upbeat set of multi-layered indie-rock tracks. They opened with “Pigeonholed,” a fast-paced song that highlighted singer Brian Murphy’s impressively wide vocal range. The band’s evocative pieces maintained a fun, light-hearted air — even when the songs descended into noisy, guitar- and bass-driven clamor. The Shills were all very comfortable onstage, often chatting with the audience and playing each song smoothly and with evident confidence. One standout track of the evening was “Say What You Will,” a bouncy number, thick with power chords and infectious vocal hooks. The Shills also played some new material like “But Beware,” a roots-fuelled, swingy track. Musically, the song teetered on the edge of becoming something darker, yet managed to maintain an airy, casual feel due to the thin, tuneful vocals. “All Ears,” a power-poppy piece, sounded vaguely similar to Muse. All in all, it was a great set. One gets the impression that The Shills might be soon moving to bigger and better venues than the Paradise Lounge.
-Miriam Lamey
Fair enough, these ladies just got a brilliant write-up by my wonderful self on Spin.com (although I did not originally use the word "Beantown." Any Boston resident does not call it "Beantown." Ever.), but Electrelane's new album,"No Shouts No Calls" is also definitely worthy of review. Besides, I've been listening to it all week and if I don't write something about it, I might scream.
Here is said Spin.com write-up:
http://www.spin.com/features/ithappenedlastnight/2007/05/070517_electrelane/\
Photo by Keri Beckwith
Electrelane's No Shouts No Calls (NSNC) is certaily shoegazey, thanks to the blended sound, soft fuzzy ambience, and lack of prominent guitar solos. That being said, the musically pretty album contains tracks which are potentially indistinguishable from one another. To be horribly blunt, most songs feel as though they fall into pattern, and since a good deal of the lyrics aren't articulated precisely, it can get damn hard to pick out one track from another when listening to NSNC on "shuffle." However, after a few listens, each song's personality and subtlety becomes apparent and NSNC truly holds some tuneful gems.
"In Berlin" presents ghostly harmonies combined with sweeping strings and light guitar, making one think this is pieces would be the sound of Enya running smack into Explosions in the Sky. Sans Enya's "easy listening" aspect and over-fifties appeal, of course. Juxtapose this song to "Between the Wolf and the Dog," and it's clear that Electralane intelligently change pace, style and mood in a well-executed heartbeat. This amped-up, dark and slightly sinister instrumental song plays with a much heavier bassline and steady, quick drums. The forceful, almost angry tone luckily does not dominate; a sense punctuated by light pauses where the synth playing receives the spotlight. Electrelane beautifully layer their instruments on top of one another, and prevent their music from slipping into a hideous cacophony. Each instrument shines and all fit together brilliantly.
Electrelane further exhibit their talent at precise mood communicating during the album's opener, "The Greater Times." Thank to bright organ chords and quick pacing, the NSNC kicks off on a cheery, optimistic note. And the other standout track, "Tram 21" plays with weird, spacey keyboards and synths under rocking guitar, bass and drums. "Tram 21" is a tad unsettling, but not negatively. Rather, it just doesn't generate images of calm and relaxation; one thinks of something more driftingly lonely.
Overall NSNC is a decent album, not particularly catchy, but far from dull. It's pretty, dancey, and soothing but also stimulating, fun and varied. Quite the combination. But really, people, NSNC is a great blend of wide-ranging, artistic music and deserves to be heard.
Dr. Dog at the Mid East Upstairs
This was meant to hit Spin.com but due to schedulling, did not. So instead it's here for your reading pleasuuure:
Dr. Dog invaded the stage, and immediately asked, "can we turn the lights out?" Mystified, the excited audience whooped and screamed in anticipation. To everyone's surprise, Dr. Dog slid into a gorgeous, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-like rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. The aching harmonies faded out and suddenly Dr. Dog burst into their bluesy, jumping "My Old Ways." With furious energy, the band leaped into their fast-paced, passionate set that showcased their signature Beatles and Bob Dylan-inspired sound, particularly with "Worst Trip." Dr. Dog's multi-layered, retro sound exploded through the venue and they produced amazingly tight harmonies over bouncy, summery guitar and bass playing. Dr Dog enthralled their fans, either through playing seasoned favorites, like the dreamy "ABCs," or with nothing more than their vigorous, fascinating stage presence.
Couple of little articles from Northeast Performer Magazine for your reading pleasuuure
Frank Smith / Keys to the Streets of Fear / The Beat Awfuls
P.A.'s Lounge
Somerville, MA
February 9, 2007
Notorious hipster hangout P.A.'s Lounge hosted The Beat Awfuls/Keys To The Streets Of Fear residency in early February. The Beat Awfuls features members from The Lot Six, Viva Viva, Drug Rug, Headband and others. Basically, the band is comprised of a bunch of musicians who wanted to get together and try something different. And to be quite honest, "different" is an understatement - try indie-punk with a dark sense of humor and an occasionally mellow twist. Regardless, The Beat Awfuls gathered up Frank Smith, Keys to the Streets of Fear, and Chris Brokaw to join them on their sixth night at P.A.'s.
Frank Smith kicked off the evening and played an impressive, yet slightly drunken set. The sound and performance were utterly fantastic, as Frank Smith's blend of mournful country and blues pacing with darker acoustic-based indie-rock produced a weird, captivating aura. During the set, the band exuded great energy while showcasing obvious talent. Even their quirky personality stood up to their amazing music. Singer Aaron Sinclair frequently berated the audience, telling them to "take off their scarves." Indeed.
Keys to the Streets of Fear knew they had a tough act to follow. "[Frank Smith] made us look like chumps," lead vocalist Pasquale complained. Unfortunately, Keys' set felt slow and the drums were particularly heavy. Overall, the sound was well-balanced, but Pasquale's voice didn't stand up to the bluesy, dragging rock of his backing band; it felt like he was shouting to be heard.
Solo artist Chris Brokaw managed to captivate the audience. His performance was honest, atmospheric and beautiful. Transitions from lighter indie-rock guitar grooves to more distorted sounds were barely perceptible - his instrumentation was seamless. At points it was hard to believe that Brokaw was playing along, as he was truly brilliant; his stage presence and musical skill transcended his solitary performance.
Finally, The Beat Awfuls took the stage. Considering the band played every night this week, they put on a strong performance. The bizarre, energetic group worked well together, producing one hell of a loud set. Their upbeat stage presence provided for some excellent entertainment, and the band was able to close out the evening on a positive note. Yet, they didn't steal the show. Frank Smith was this night's standout, with their impressive set and incredible sound.
-Review and photo by Miriam Lamey
The Hero Cycle
By Miriam Lamey
Photo by Patrick Marinello
The Hero Cycle is a small-town band with big aspirations - especially if one considers Burlington, Vermont a small town and believes that recognition, airplay and other perks are a lot to ask for in the independent music realm, particularly for a young band. Yet, The Hero Cycle has perhaps achieved more and propelled their imaginative blend of music further than many of their contemporaries purely through their ambitious, driven mindset. Singer and guitarist Frank Smecker explains: "A lot of bands get comfortable with being a great act in Burlington ... and then they don't push on any further. It really is about how much you care about your music, how much you want to do it and how much work you put behind it. You set a goal and you work towards it." Having recently released their first EP, Lakes and Ponds, through Australia-based Hidden Shoal Records, The Hero Cycle have, in drummer John Gorman's opinion, realized "it's time to spread our wings."
Along with Smecker and Gorman, The Hero Cycle's core members are Mike Prall (guitars and percussion), Tom Kelly (synth and vocals), and Charlie Gerry (bass). The group formed out of a need to explore their own creativity. "Initially, [Frank] wanted to go in a different direction than with what he was doing at the time, which was more aggressive music," explains Kelly. "We all listened to a lot of indie rock, and we all wanted to start something together." Hence The Hero Cycle became an outlet for a new kind of sound. All the band's members feel very positively about their music, a triumph in itself considering the band has been together just over a year. "We are relatively still young," Smecker explains, "and I feel like we are all pretty impressed with how far we've gone." His reasoning? Smecker puts it simply: "Everyone is involved" in the band.
With full input comes profound respect, which all members exude. "With our [separate] parts and with our performance," Gorman says, "there's certain freedom with each member to [go] in certain directions while maintaining the basic structure of the song ... It's focused." He remarks that each member keeps "individual freedom in each part." One would think this multifaceted approach would make for a disorganized cacophony. Yet somehow, The Hero Cycle gathers the elements together to create moody indie rock songs that possess both a poppy and electronic edge, such as on "Lover's Crime". At times, fuzzier vocals almost echo across the keyboards and distorted guitar - especially on "Breathing In." And then, perhaps as a reflection of the band's many contributors, The Hero Cycle changes it up and presents a rockier, bouncy sound with a jarring guitar riff on "American Proxy."
Clearly, pinning down a signature sound can be difficult. Smecker attributes the music's depth and intricacy to a certain level of concealment. "[We're] adding layers to [the music] so the average listener won't really pick up on the fact that it's literally three different interchanging keys," he describes. "There's so much going on within those little progressions."
While The Hero Cycle produces a phenomenal array sounds, there are obvious similarities between this band and Broken Social Scene. In fact, The Hero Cycle describe themselves as "Broken Social Scene meets Built to Spill" on their MySpace page. Yet both Smecker and Gorman are very quick to point out that their intentions are not to mimic influences. "We do have our own unique sound," Smecker states, "[and] as much as there are similarities to Broken Social Scene, it's only an influential similarity." For all their talk of inspiration and musical depth, The Hero Cycle seem to be very audience-oriented as well. Gorman explains, "[We aim] for joyous expression of our music, but it shouldn't be too deep, on some level, to grasp at a show."
The Hero Cycle has fully embraced digital distribution techniques, as evidenced by their significant success on the internet. "We are just as popular on Last.FM as we are in our hometown, which is kind of a cool thing," Prall says. "Now our home community is not only Burlington, it's online." Smecker emphasizes, though, that they still understand the importance of connecting with their global fans. "We've gone out of our way to email and thank them, and that just increases a personal relationship," he explains.
These nice guys from Burlington are currently heard from Toronto to Germany, yet they succeed in maintaining an honest focus in their music.
"Being in a band, it's a tough job to do," Smecker explains, but "It's what [we] love to do." In fact, he aptly concludes, "We all have a common enjoyment of what we do."
Newcastle natives, Maximo Park released "Our Earthly Pleasures" in the UK sometime earlier this month. I've been a fan of the 'Park for two years now. Funnily enough, last time I was in England, my friends told me to check out this band... I returned to the States and grabbed a copy of "A Certain Trigger." Amazing. I was blown away by the masterful guitar playing, time-signature change-ups, raw energy and the way they sounded like a youthful band, but communicated true depth. The overall sound was unpolished, but these lads were far from being amateurs. On top of the astounding musical skill, the song lyrics were perceptive, direct and too honest (in a way that made me feel as if someone had jumped inside my head); sometimes making me smile ("I'll do grafitti if you sing to me in French"), ache ("What happens when you lose everything you just start again") or also feel horribly homesick ("We look out upon the sea/the coast is always changing"). Point being, I was desperate to hear their next efforts.
So I jumped on the NME website and have been listening to "Our Earthly Pleasures" all week. First thought? To be blunt, it didn't hit me, didn't break through my distanced listening and it remained a background soundtrack. Then today I stuck on the album again, for the third time, today wanting to hear something that made me really feel - that could just touch many emotions, thoughts and ideas. Well, shit. Maximo Park pulled through and "Our Earthly Pleasures" is abso-fucking-lutely brilliant. They maintain their original sound, and integrity but now have better production; the music is clearer, they're being a bit more adventurous by trying different song pacing and throwing in piano, acoustic guitar and have harsh, high-energy, punkier pieces. And the lyrics are still utterly intelligent, slightly amusing, but so honest that "Our Earthy Pleasures" gives me goosebumps. (To be really lame and cliche.) The bitterness, joy, poignancy, heartbreak, nostalgia, anger, frenzy, reminders of Newcastle/the North East - everything...it's all there, transmitted through genuine lyrics, Paul Smith's powerful vocals, beautiful song construction and tight instrumentation.
Two new bands worth a listen:
The Airborne Toxic Event
Sound: A Strokes-esque band, but with cleaner vocals; jarring guitars placed over slightly more ominous drums. I wouldn't particularly say their music is "upbeat," but it's highly listenable and interesting. At the moment, the sound is a teeny bit unpolished, but with some more experience, these guys can only get better. Lyrics are direct, honest and this sense permeates through the music, making it an easy, relaxed listen.
Menomena
Played at The Great Scott with Field Music, March 27
Sound: Wow - this is something weird, busy and multi layered (and I came up with this BEFORE the bloody Boston Metro – read their article Tuesday and felt like someone had been listening to my conversation about this band last WEEK.) The first time you hear Menomena, it's hard to decide whether or not their music deserves a second chance; there's just so much going on, from electronic sounds and basic keyboards to a heavier, acoustic, Explosions in the Sky-like pacing and feel. The totally insane part? This all works brilliantly, but don't expect to realize it during the first listen. I was really quite impressed with the fact they somehow maintain this intelligent sonic balance. Live? I wasn't sucked into their performance and seemed if Menomena tried to cram all the different sounds together just to recreate their recordings; it was a bit confusing.
I made it. My first, official, prestigious article. Hell yeah.
Pete Yorn at the Avalon, March 19, 2007
http://www.spin.com/features/ithappenedlastnight/2007/03/070320_peteyorn/
I’ve owned “Wincing the Night Away” for about a week now. Somehow, I’m still climbing towards the point at which I can discuss this entire album. The music has yet to fully seep into my subconscious. Pretentious-sounding, but true. I haven’t formed an opinion. However, “Phantom Limb, occasionally played on the radio, more frequently on my MP3 player, hit me in just the right way which I rode the bus to work the other morning. The weather was miserable; that crappy warm, rain when the atmposhere can’t decide if it wants to run into spring, or shit on us all and turn back to Winter. The bus was hot. Really, damn hot. People were soaked and thought it really cute to shake their umbrellas all over the place. I was squashed next to some guy wearing a huge raincoat that soaked my jacket. But I digress; this piece isn’t supposed to be about the schizophrenic New England weather. I decided I was entirely sick of everything on my playlst. Ok Go! left the building a while ago, and Beirut’s album needs to get back to Eastern Europe, I’m so sick of it. Anyway, I stuck on the radio. And the next song to play was “Phantom Limb.”
Immediately, I sank into the song and flew through the uplifting melody and smile-worthy chord progressions. Ok, so “Phantom Limb” won’t win any awards for complex arrangements or out-of-this-world guitar breakdowns, but it’s cheery, poppy indie-rock. It made me think of summer; sunshine, ice-cream, margaritas in the sweltering heat and laughter. But what prevents “Phantom Limb” from being too sweet and pretty is the overarching feeling of nostalgia and longing. I do believe the lyrics discuss returning to one’s hometown and looking at a familiar area with new eyes and a distanced perspective. One realizes how uncomfortable best friends or small-town hangouts become when he or she has traveled beyond that. Somehow everything seems different, less pleasant and appealing. So go the lyrics; “This town seems hardly worth our time /And we'll no longer memorize or rhyme/Too far along in our climb/Stepping over what now towers to the sky.” It’s optimistic though; the singer no longer feels a need to fit in because he’s changed and there’s no going back. This person has sidestepped a situation in which he or feel felt trapped. And ultimately, “there’s no connection.” This isn’t a bad thing, hence the song’s cheerful tone, but The Shins create this haunting, heavy sense that rides on the melody’s surface. Symbolizing the whole struggle, so to speak. It’s an interesting take on the struggle to change, leave something behind, but also the desire to return to that which is safe. Yet at the end, the “no going back” feeling is reached, on a more hopeful note, rather than a sad one.
Bit of a lazy post here. This is my article in the current issue of Northeast Performer. If you're so inclined, I'd have a look at both the Southeast and West Coast editions too...
The Gulf
By Miriam Lamey
Photo by Lara Woolfson
Unconventional and highly unique, The Gulf is unconcerned with fitting neatly into the established Boston music scene. "The built-in Boston audience expects a certain thing, which is not necessarily what we're doing," explains singer Adam Garland. "We're definitely sort of outliers," agrees trumpet player Brian McGrath. So what is The Gulf trying to do? Apparently, the band wants to create remarkable, highly collaborative and professional music. This goal seems realistic, especially after listening to The Gulf's debut album, Chinatown - a dazzling collection of songs that channels elements of Leonard Cohen, early Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Built to Spill, Bright Eyes and rootsy New Orleans jazz.
The Gulf's members hail from cities far from Boston. Their hometowns range from Seattle to New Orleans to Rochester, New York. Yet Adam Garland, Brian McGrath, drummer Steve Turcott, pedal steel and slide guitarist Dave Barabree, bassist Sven Larson and guitarist Adam Brock simultaneously ended up in Boston. Craigslist and a few chance encounters brought about fortunate meetings, but the band's story isn't that simple. According to McGrath, The Gulf boasts a mysterious history that involves a lot of "random" events," "a whole bunch of different drummers," and "a lot of [different] people in every position in the band." However, the current band members are responsible for the most natural, productive lineup yet, as well as the brilliance behind Chinatown.
The Gulf's sound is from haphazard. Each sonic element feels clean and tight, but not overly polished. Rather, all different instruments, including trumpets, piano, harmonica, and strings, come together seamlessly. Where one might expect a cacophonous mess, The Gulf beautifully balances each instrument in their compositions. Garland explains that the band's complicated sound comes from the fact each musician has "a very detailed idea of what [each] song is." He notes, "when we record [music] and when we play [our songs], we don't step on each other because we all know what's going to be happening [as] the arrangement is so detailed and personal." In fact, this style also compliments Brock's musical preferences, for, as he explains, "I'm not very good at improvisation ... Everything I do musically is scripted."
Despite the level of order that The Gulf insists on, these musicians know that they're far from being mainstream. In Garland's opinion, The Gulf is "pretty weird" and Turcott appreciates the "moody" and "bi-polar" sound. "I heard their EP," Turcott says, "and I was like, 'Oh my God, people make music like this? ... [It's] everything I like!'"
"We like a lot of [music]," Brock explains. "I'm more into classical, Steve's more into Built to Spill ... Dylan comes up a lot." However, all musicians effectively weave their varied tastes together. Yet Garland recognizes one pitfall in having a distinct sound. "I think a lot of times when a band just sounds different, people are going to think it sounds experimental," he explains. "[But] I don't really think we sound experimental."
The Gulf wants to be taken seriously. Each member passionately produces music to the best of his capacity and they respect other musicians who transmit a similar dedication and intensity. "We're inspired by anyone who's at the top of their game, whatever the genre might be," muses Garland. McGrath agrees, for he favors "any genre of music where people really push it ... when they're putting on a display of themselves, basically ... [and] when an [album] has that mysterious quality where you can hear that someone is going for something that is way bigger than they are."
The Gulf hopes to achieve a comparable response from listeners, if their level of excitement and career ideals are any indication. As Turcott explains, "We want the album to be anywhere and everywhere. We want to tour and be played on the radio." Equipped with a larger-than-life outlook and a keen ability to produce insightful, intelligent music, The Gulf may soon be everywhere all at once.
The Middle East Downstairs used to be a bowling alley. At least, that's what I've been told. Sometimes, it feels like you're in a tunnel when watching a band play there, especially if it's at capacity. Other times, this place is bloody freezing. In the summer, The Middle East becomes a sauna and you can see sweat running down the walls. And, of course, down the slimy, eager concergoer's faces. At mid-August shows, I can tell you that I do not mourn the Boston smoking ban, for I can imagine a haze of cigarette smoke mixed with the dank, sweaty aroma. And that sure ain't pretty.
But at Razorlight's show, the venue was neither freezing, nor abnormally sweaty. It was, however, quite packed with a suprising number of Brits, who crawled out from their respective hiding places to see the lads' performance.
Overall, the crowd seemed to include both a bunch of men and women, but halfway through the set, we were treated to a chorus of traditional British football chants. And then it seemed the audience was predominantly male.
Yet this didn't detract from Razorlight's music. They chose a stellar, arena-anthem track to open ("In the Morning") and presented great energy throughout. Razorlight's upbeat, bouncy, lad-rock transmitted well through the dense crowd; even at the back, the clear sound was exciting and I wasn't sorry to have attended. At times, the playing was a teeny bit messy and chords/vocals/timing was not exactly spot-on. Regardless, the band's music doesn't strike me as being utterly amazing. Razorlight's Britpop leanings conjure up the Oasis' "What's the Story" period, but Razorlight fortunately presents a neat twist - there's something more rhythmic, almost reggae-esqe in Razorlight's sound. And then they just shake up their sound and head in a different direction. Such as "Who Needs Love," which is one of their most interesting tracks. In all honesty, it reminds me of Buddy Holly's music. The song possesses a swingy, 1950's feel that adequately showcases Razorlight's imagination and creativity. And perhaps their musical potential. In fact, "Who Needs Love" fully presents singer Johnny Borell's vocal range and throughout the album, he carries Razorlight's songs like any hipster should transport a full martini through a packed bar: easy, gracefully, with a neat swagger and a winning smile.
Their lyrics discuss British hipster (Britster, maybe?) life, but don't delve too deep into anything subversive, shocking, or away from the mainstream. Take, "Hold On," for example.
"Well now your here you are in your life/ And now your finding out why/You've got to learn how to fight/ Before you learn how to fly."
But look at them - Razorlight's a bunch of nice lads who make decent music. However, I'm not completely shocked, inspired, or so excited by these guys that I want to rip my clothes off and force this music upon the world.
Overall, the show was a great night out (I would have preferred it to be a Friday, and not a Sunday) and I was happy to see Razorlight live. But, in all honest, that's pretty much what you can anticipate from a Razorlight concert: one too many drinks, chanting strangers, a grimy British atmosphere and, if you're lucky, a good bit of stage banter. But don't expect a phone call in the morning.
