I felt like I had been locked in an off licence tonight, that's how genuinely excited I was. Gutted I missed the Cribs, as they were first on, playing to a half empty Academy at 7.30pm.
MAXIMO PARK, worthy of headlining the gig themselves, walk jovially onto the stage to a rapturous reception of genuine adulation. All dressed in black, they looked like Nazi SS members, with lead singer Paul Smith sporting his Hitler-style side-parting hair style.
They play in such an efficient and steel-fisted way that their brown shirt wearing predecessors would have been proud and jubilant. This is another case of a band coming good, riding a meteoric rise to fame within a year. No real surprise for me. They are quite simply CLASS writ large.
The origins of the band's name is not known, only that Maximo Park is in Havana, Cuba. This quintet, though, hail from Newcastle Upon Tyne. With Paul Smith yelling out well orchestrated vocals, smartly dressed like his namesake, he possesses an extravagant style, a style that you can't buy.
Smith's stage presence is exuberant and candid, but without being in any need to be accepted by the "scene setters." Indeed, Maximo Park create their own landscape and their only artistic rules, whilst keeping an independent status and feel, having signed to the uncompromising Warp Records.
They put on such a precise performance, with some great animated dancing involved too. Lukas Wooler is the resident keyboard player: he definitely hits all the right notes all night. Tom English is on drums: a core member of this compact band. Archis Tiku on the ever enthralling bass keeps it fluid and strong alongside guitarist Duncan Lloyd. When combined, It's definitely an addictive sound.
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With comparisons being made with the likes of Franz Ferdinand (couldn't be more different), Pulp, The Jam and geographical neighbours The Futureheads, Maximo Park set out to add their own little bit of panache. Their set tonight showed all this and then some, with songs being belted out with a real feeling and emotion. Powerful guitar riffs and smash 'n' ale chords are the key for this evening, with "Graffitti", "Going Missing" and "Apply Some Pressure" being the highlights of this gig.
With the whole crowd singing along, the heat by the end was only just about tolerable, and I wasn't even near the front. One person came back from the "moshpit" after MP'S last song encore and it was like they had just jumped into a swimming pool. Dirty, great and filthy fun indeed. Next year Maximo park will return bigger and bolder and I can't wait for more from these marching boys.
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