Some events have the whiff of legend about them, even before they've taken place.
This particular show had that feel. And the longer I've put off writing it up, the more I've felt it.
The night was set up to launch DANCE TO THE RADIO, a new record label whipped up by the young Turk known in the City as Whiskas. And, this has got to be double underlined and bold caps, 500 copies of an eighteen track compilation CD are being given away on the night. That's eighteen. Each from a different band, all strong examples of their type, and still only one of many tasty selections that could be drawn from what Leeds is putting on any night of the week in any of twenty venues.
Six bands are playing tonight in the 500 capacity concert room of a faded working men's club in the bowels of student Leeds.
All six are on the CD (one in reduced and renamed form) – and the embarrassment of riches is apparent from the absentees – THE SCARAMANGA SIX, NAPOLEON IIIRD, THE TERMINALS, BEING 747, BABY FOOD, THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND, O FRACAS, BUEN CHICO, THE LUCIDA CONSOLE, ROBOCHRIST, THE SOMATICS and I LOVE POLAND are all somewhere else tonight (many of them gigging). All have their distinctive sounds and all contribute strong material to an unfeasibly good collection. ROBOCHRIST shows up at closing time, having driven from a gig Sheffield.
Top of the bill DUELS have been around for a while now. In different guises they have stood up for the thoughtful, tuneful and intelligent end of the independent pop market. But now they are fully grown and fully armed. Their music is muscly, tuneful and strong. Harmony singing, a wonderfully big organ sound and chunky guitars give off a confident message about genuine membership of noble lineage through Ray Davies and Elvis Costello to the present. They look good too and give off a deplorably attractive diffidence that belies the power of their songs. They smile shyly, then look away, and let the music roar. Katherine on keyboards and vocals is a very strong presence, while shared singing and deft guitar playing make everything look just right. Despite their anti-showmanship persona they sheepishly drag an enormous set of silver and red balloons to fill the massive stage. KEV, they spell out. Ice is broken, squeals break out and it’s all danceathon to the end. Marvelous. Serious pop career, no problem.
THE OLD HOUSE had opened in a storm of drumming and teen howling. They're a young band with an ear for classic chord shapes, woo woo woo moments and Lou Reed (very) Junior vocals. They're loads of fun and put the evening in a right good mood. "You Told Me Something" reminds me of the searing simplicity of early Motown (punked over).
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THIS ET AL have already had their contribution to the CD "Catscan" played on Steve Lamacq's Radio One show. With an explosive guitar sound and a shrewd pillaging of rock's many styles they get a big reaction here tonight. Top quality has arrived already, and we've four more bands still to follow.
THE LODGER reflects the singer/songwriter side of things for tonight. With a metronomic root note bass player and a drummer nicked from THE SOMATICS, Ben showers us with songs and magnetic confidence. To my ears the guitar gets punished as much as played – but tonight's audience definitely see that as a Good Thing. The crowd has built to FULL and among the well dressed visitors from Mars, Universal, Island and so forth we seem to have noticed Denise van Outen. Given the spectacular expectations we all brought here, this is no surprise at all. Why shouldn’t she be here? Everyone else is.
iLIKETRAiNS are still in their British Rail costume period, with super 8 movies of trains and Ms Bardot. Their live sound has become magisterial and their songs have gone from good to wonderful. The twitchy rock elements in the crowd have trouble focussing for eight minutes on one song. But no matter. The sound in here is fabulous and you could cry with joy at those massive crescendos. I go and hug the soundman with gratitude. I could hear every single one of David Martin's immaculately sung words.
¡FORWARD RUSSIA! Include the astoundingly cool and aforementioned Whiskas on space guitar. Their numbered-only songs thrash about like behaviourally disordered escapees from their community ASBOs. But they're tight as rats teeth, and behind the mayhem there are tunes, words and riffs. You can’t get much better than that. Secret weapon is Katie ¡Russia! on drums.
When it’s eventually time to leave, with all the last buses long gone, there's a stunned silence on the Woodhouse Moor and the lights from Billy Smarts Circus are still in town.
Some nights are made to remember and this one will grow in the telling.
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