As soon as lead singer Preston announces that this is the last night of the band’s tour it was obvious that this gig could get messy!
The Ordinary Boys had brought a crowd of friends with them to Derby, who definitely added to the atmosphere by creating an instant crush at the front of the stage. Their music style lends itself well to this riotous scene, sounding like a contemporary cross between The Clash and The Jam. They further exploit the ‘Englishness’ of their image by dressing like extras from Quadrophenia – all button-down shirts and ox-blood lace ups.
The Ordinary Boys deliver a very enthusiastic and energetic set – almost overly frenetic at times. By the end of the night both drummer and guitarist were crowd surfing and the stage had been taken over by support band Mower. There’s never been a more exciting time for British music and this band fit effortlessly into the NME-created Brit-Pack scene. I can imagine The Ordinary Boys attracting an army of young male fans, sharply dressed and eager to be part of the long-overdue Mod revival.
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Their new single, "Week In, Week Out", is desperately catchy – tracing a lineage back to The Jam in their "In the City" period – and I can recommend it as well worth a listen. As far as their live act goes, unless you’re very brave stay away from the front – I saw at least 3 people kicked by the drummer as he crowd surfed his way back to the Vic’s dressing room. Not a situation for the faint-hearted.
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