Four young men are sat around, waiting for their headline set at Barnsley’s premier Indie Nightclub, Lucorum.They’re all smiles, and quite happy to be kept waiting for their set.
‘It’s not our first gig,’ bassist, Tom, informs.‘So it’s not like we have first night nerves or anything.’Indeed, it is not the first gig for The Northern Swagger, but it is only their second as a band.Drummer, Marc and lead singer Matt, used to be in a band with Tom, and will treat us later on to a song from their previous incarnation.New member, guitarist Dave, does look somewhat nervous.
‘Things didn’t work out for us with the last band, the sound wasn’t quite right, and we had some other issues.Matty called Dave, and as a guitarist, he’s got Swagger!’Marc informs, grinning from ear to ear.
So, it’s a totally different sound from your last band then?
‘Oh, yeah, totally.It’s fuller, somewhat heavier.Not so punky.’
Finally, the band come onto stage, at around midnight, which is a shame, as most people have by now, left.They start with The Crazy Gang, a fairly thumping Oasis-esque floor filler.They easily progress into the next tune, Fairy Tales, before asking the remaining audience triumphantly ; ‘Who’s Got Swagger?’This announced their third song for the night.
Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t quite right, and nothing could be heard of Matt’s vocals, or Dave’s lead guitar.The songs, however, sounded melodic, drawing influences from Oasis circa ’96 and Kasabian.Thumping Stone Roses style bass lines, and a slight Muse feel to the drum riffs rounded off their sound.
The band finished their 7 song set with Cast Your Problems, the sole survivor from the bands previous incarnation, before the encore Me and My Friends.
All in all, a good night, even if the band were on late, and there were issues with the sound.Who’s got swagger?You boys, I do believe.
After months of growing anticipation, the date that around 50,000 Muse fans were waiting for, was finally here.It hailed the return of the band to the UK for their much hyped European Stadium tour, Glastonbury and T in the Park, notwithstanding.
Although to be honest, if the televised Glasto and T in the Park, were anything to go by, fans would be up for a treat of some of Muse’s greatest hits, and much loved live songs.
Finally, at 8.15 precisely, the music in the cricket ground is turned off.The assembled Musers take a deep breath, and are greeted by a troupe of hooded flag bearers.Slogans such as; ‘They will not force us!’ and; ‘We’re not droplets in the ocean!’ are borne triumphantly for all to see.A flash of light from the opulent giant triangular stage, and the opening chords of Uprising, are drowned out by hysterical screams and cheers.
Matt Bellamy struts around the stage, in a silver suit, with his usual aplomb.From knee slides to high jumps, to those perfect ballerina spins.Dom Howard, is dressed in a very tight, wet look, black spiderman – thing, and Chris Wolfenstholme is resplendent in a black and white stripy suit.
A long wail from the Manson generates another ear splitting roar from the adulating crowd, as Supermasive Black Hole is announced, and the crowd, already ready for a party after waiting 10 months from the sale of the tickets, begin to bounce proper.Or should that be pwoppa?
Morgan Nicholls’ tinkering on the keys announces the next song, New Born, a staggering amount of hands with wiggling fingers appear in the air, as Matt saunters to the front to begin to bash out the heavy guitar riff on his beloved red glittery scream maker.
Map of the Problamatique , and Butterflies and Hurricanes follow next, ensuring the craziness in the crowd continue, before allowing them a brief respite during Guiding Light.Dramatically, however, Matt and Chris move slightly away from their microphones as a huge streamer and glitter filled canon goes off, and covers both the sound tower, and Dom.
The band then provide a rest for Matt’s vocals as they proceed into live favourite jam, Interlude.It doesn’t last long though, as they launch into Hysteria, again, amongst much moshing from the audience.
Finally, Matt deems it appropriate to address the gathered masses (Dom has already spent a while informing, that it has been too long), announcing a change of the website.
‘So we’ve got to change our website, I think, from muse.mu (big pause) to CitizenErazed.com.’This song was voted for by fans following a poll on the muse.mu website, hence the pun from Bellamy, and the resonant pogo’ing.
The instrumental Nishe, was next up, providing a wedge of time for the piano to be prepared for United States of Eurasia, and Feeling Good.For some reason, mass moshing took place during the piano centric Eurasia, and more appropriately, mass swaying and heartfelt bellowing for the Nina Simone cover.
Next, sees the opportunity for Dom to stretch his legs, as he joins Chris on a spaceship style platform, which rises above the crowd.They bash out MK Jam, while Matt mysteriously prowls around towards to the left of the stage before joining them, with a glow in the dark keytar for Undisclosed Desires.Dom’s drums light up, each time he bashes them, as the platform rises higher and higher.
It’s back to the main stage for Resistance, complete with Matt playing a double 12-string guitar, before the crowd pleasing and clappy Starlight.
House of the Rising Sun provides karaoke enmasse, before the thumping bass line introduction of Time is Running Out.Unfortunately, Matt doesn’t treat the Manchester faithful to his infamous shuffle.A perfectly timed circle done to the songs middle eight.
Unnatural Selection provides the end of the main set, as the band trundle off stage to chants of ‘more, more!’Ever eager to please, the trio return to play Part One of Exegenesis: Symphony (Overture), and the never ending Stockholm Syndrome, before pretending that was it for the night.Hardcore Muse fans, however, knew that there was more to come, with at least two of the live favourites left out.
True to form, they return onto the stage, after giving Matt time for a costume change.Yes, that’s right, a costume change.Not into a flowing ball gown (although that probably wouldn’t have surprised many people, knowing Bellamy’s eccentric ways), but into a video suit, that flashed red and blue.
He embarks onto the spaceship platform for a rendition of Take a Bow, and hangs around for a few moments as he plays the distinctive riff for Plug in Baby.As ever, flawlessly performed, even with the spins.Unfortunately no knee slides, but maybe he was banned from doing them because of the suit.The giant balloons join the bedlam, as tradition, for the second chorus.
Finally, the dying notes leave the mournful sound of Chris playing his harmonica.Matt, still flashing, plays around with a box.Dom has a breather.Then the howling mid west riff and feverent arm saluting welcomes the last song of the night Knights of Cydonia.The last chords simmer in the warm air, as Matt thanks the crowd, Dom informs, again, that it’s been far too long.Chris wanders up to the microphones, hesitates, gives a big double armed wave, and then wanders off, to tweet: ‘Wow, that was pretty fucking amazing.You mancs are nuts.’
So?A good gig? As Chris put it, ‘it was pretty fucking amazing.’You Devon geeks are nuts.
It’s a very wet, rainy Friday night in Barnsley, and New Dancers are headlining at Burn Down the Disco at Lucorum. It’s their first gig, and the place is packed out.
The band, meet us in high spirits, quite literally, and although are nervous, are trying to play it down by dragging us to the bar to conduct a quick pre gig interview.
‘We only formed last year, sort of October time, so this is our very first gig, although we have got quite a lot of followers.’ Joshua, the guitarist/vocalist/keys informs us with a grin and a sweeping gesture with his arm encompassing the very packed out venue. ‘Most of these are here to see us!’ He adds, the rest of the band nodding along with equally big smiles.
Rather unlike their name suggests, New Dancers are an Indie band, drawing influences from the usual suspects; Stone Roses, Oasis, Jam, Muse... Their sound is rather punkish pulling other influences such as Arctic Monkeys into the equation. Even though this is their first interview, the band are a charismatic and friendly bunch, quite happily divulging information about each other.
‘Joshua really idolizes Matt Bellamy from Muse, but has a problem in that he’s scared of glitter.’ Matt, guitarist and vocalist informs us with a cheeky grin.
‘Ha, that’s not as bad as your phobia of Pineapples.’ Joshua retaliates, ‘I chased him round Tesco for two hours with a pineapple the other week...’
Pineapples and glitter aside, the band embarks on stage for their headline set, looking nervous, but accomplished at the same time.
They launch straight into ‘Cast your Problems’, a quick paced punky effort with optimistic overtones. The rest of the set follows in the same vein, all the songs with indie guitars and drums and then husky punk vocals. The band are just as charismatic on the stage as off the stage, and have the packed venue in the palm of their hands. The next really stand out tune is ‘Eyes are Crying’, another punk venture with husky vocals akin to Alex Turner’s early days.
‘Confessions’ comes next, and then a few more punk feel tunes, until the band decide to throw in an instrumental of ‘Pjanoo’ by Eric Pridz. They end on ‘Testify’, another homage to Indie/Punk before encoring on another blistering performance of ‘Cast Your Problems’.
The bands self declaration that their music is a ‘different sort of Indie sound’ is in some doubt. That they are a talented set of musicians who play some blistering Indie Punk tunes isn’t.
All in all, a great night, a great sound and a great band. Shame about the glitter phobia.
