 | | photo - B.Cooke |
On the 27 February, Bar Academy played host to The Modern. Ben Cooke review. Fed up of Arctic Monkeys, acoustic 'singer songwriters' and spotty middle-English teenagers singing about "high school"? Where were you? The Modern played a great set of top quality intelligent pop. Their songs sound like nothing around at the moment and represent the future with a few nods and winks to the band’s diverse influences from Duran Duran to Madonna.
 | | photo - B.Cooke |
Despite being let down by the disappearance of a support act the crowd were quick to warm up to the collection of up tempo stylish pop tunes, coaxed to dance by the lead singer in between songs. Visually the band are an instant antidote to some of the drab and scruffy bands of late, with all five of them dressed like pop superstars from the future they could easily have been starring in their own adventure comic book. The group are adorned with bright stripes, spangled scarves and striking makeup. Singer Emma is a combination of a film noir bombshell and a past incarnation of Madonna. | "Singer Emma is a combination of a film noir bombshell and a past incarnation of Madonna. " | | Ben Cooke |
She performs from the confines of a sleek black corset and matching suspenders which contrast with her red glossed lips and demand attention. Sickeningly this is a band who the ugly stick never got chance to hit but none of their looks or attention to detail detract from the power and quality of their material. Emma is supported vocally by the group's two keyboard players who take turns to look above their knobs and black boxes to contribute, sometimes striking a pose to an adoring audience.
 | | photo - B.Cooke |
Nathan's voice is reminiscent of The Cure's Robert Smith with its quivering lows and frantic highs delivered as he hops up and down to the beat. On the right Chi's smooth calmer tones compliment the vocal sound perfectly. A thick slab of rock guitar and loud electronic drums are provided behind the singer and keyboards. Unfortunately the size of the venue meant that Robert and Bob were a little hidden at the back but their contribution to the overall sound of The Modern is important. Not phased by being at the back drummer Bob enjoys creating the dance beat; hitting a series of black discs while guitarist Robert peers through his purple fringe as he swaggers around the stage with his guitar to his collection of bright coloured effects boxes. Highlights to the gig were the whole room joining in with the new single 'Industry' and the band’s enthusiasm and bunny ears in the final song 'Tokyo Girls'. A shorter set than expected but with each of The Modern's songs screaming to be danced to and their refreshing brand of futurism this group of style councillors are the band to see. Simon White review. I've only seen the Modern once before this gig (at Whitby in October) and was rather blown away by there alt-pop 80's-esque stylings and danceable tunes, so I found myself waiting eagerly in the (what can only be described as "cosy") venue of Bar Academy for their Birmingham stop on their UK tour. The venue is very small especially in comparison to it's bigger brother next door (where I can undoubtedly imagine the band playing in a year if they carry on as they've been going over the last 9 months), the bar prices are steep (with it costing £2 to buy a bottle of
water) but the place is clean, the staff friendly and the room seemed to accommodate the good sized crowd (considering it was a Monday evening) that assembled to see the band play.
 | | photo - S.White |
The stage was intimate, be-corseted lead singer Emma Cooke has a great stage presence and interacted well with the small throng of fans, strutting her stuff in an outfit that looks like a meeting between modern Lolita stylings and 1940's German cabaret, though the band seem to have cut a popular gimmick (for this performance at least) in the shape of the masked, top-hated Victorian Ringmaster, however the new sleeker more immediate introduction seems to suit them and this small venue. Their performance was smooth, well choreographed and professional and when they slipped into tunes like Discothèque Francais the crowd couldn't stop from dancing with them. Importantly the band seemed to be enjoying themselves and it's this vitality that makes their performances The Modern so fun to watch and combines nicely with the alt-pop bounce to their music. The band certainly has style, Adam-Ant style make-up, asymmetrical hair cuts, vintage pin-up stockings and Bunny Ears, a theatrical and unconventional mix which is perhaps one of their greatest appeals in an era where the whole alternative-pop scene is permeated with slobbed-out pub-rock and with conventional mass-produced fashionable, this season, throw away offerings.
 | | photo - S.White |
This return to the theatrical, almost New Romantic style is a welcome return and makes The Modern stand out from the mob of new bands fighting for media spotlight; Their music isn't anything too wild or unconventional – coming a few decades later than the first spacey synth-pop tunes of the early 80’s (certainly a band to look in to if you like a splash New Romantic bounce) but the band themselves are certainly a break from the Noughty's norm. Their music certainly fits with the current vogue for all things 80's retro, with a pleasing mix of bouncy upbeat electronic-synth and good rhythm. Miss Cooke's vocals are very reminiscent of a young Gwen Stefani (the likeness being exaggerated by her platinum blonde curls) and well complimented by cooing from fellow vocalist Nathan Cooper. So will The Modern go anywhere? I for one sure hope so, they seem to get better with each performance and their 45 minute set seemed too far short; I could easily see tunes like Tokyo Girls becoming cult alt-pop classics, defiantly a band to look into, their fun and certainly easy on the ears. Their only worry is that they are "too different" for mainstream pop fans and "not different enough" for alternative music aficionados. Their new single 'Industry' is released on the 6th March and I'd certainly recommend spending a few quid and giving it a whirl. | 
