I had actually bought The Maccabees album the other day when I was wandering Virgin and it was playing in the store but I hadn’t gotten around to listening yet, so it was a pleasant surprise to find they were playing before The Noisettes. The lead singer has an amazing voice, despite his bizarre stage antics. My friends were postulating various illnesses/handicaps/etc., but I think it was more a case of nerves / nowhere to put his hands. Maybe he needs something to hold while he’s on stage. Someone give that boy a tambourine! They’re being hyped as the next Franz Ferdinand/best new British band/etc. etc., which as you know can often spell a band’s downfall trying to live up to the hype (Arctic Monkeys?) . Based on their live performance, I have to think these guys have a chance: they were polished and together, none of the odd gaffes you often see in a band’s early tours. And they sounded great! Interesting lyrics, rockin’ guitar licks. Have finally started listening to the album post-show: Thumbs Up for “Colour It In”.

While equally compelling in concert, musically The Noisettes are an entirely different ball game. I’ve been racking my brain all morning trying to think of others to compare them to. Thrashing, yelling, jumping = super super high energy, loud, badass performance. I’d call them “punk” before anything else. (And in an odd coincidence of timing, one of their songs was on The Sopranos finale!) Here’s a review and this one describes the lead singer as “Billie Holiday on PCP.” A lot of fun but I don’t spend a lot of time listening to this album since a) I’m not going to the gym these days (I think it’d be perfect workout music) and b) stuff that is this high energy feels very POSITIVE to me and you know I’m all about the negative.

[p.s. and this site has a photo from the same concert.]

Opener: The Reds and the Blues. Nothing that inspiring, but definitely unforgettable. Come on, when was the last time you saw a bassoon on-stage in a rock band?