Reviews

Sophie's Pigeons

Sophie’s Pigeons at Piccadilly Records, 6.30pm (CL)

Sophie’s Pigeons came minus one of their flock tonight which we were assured would lead to a “calmer” set. Yet, the slack that the lack of a drummer provided was more than taken up by the sheer power and piquancy of lead singer Sophie Nelson’s voice and her dry, northern wit. The fact she plays piano and has red hair means she may have to weather continued Tori Amos comparisons, but the fine dramas the Pigeons dole out in spades and Sophie’s endearing charm are more than enough to give them a place in the spotlight all of their own.

Sara Lowes at Piccadilly Records, 7.20pm (CL)

Sara Lowes has just finished a stint as support for Tindersticks, where she fronted an eight strong band every night, so finding herself snuggled into the corner of Piccadilly Records with only her drummer-cum-bass player-cum-trombonist Gaz for company might have felt like a massive comedown. If it did, she never showed it as she soared through the rolling and occasionally rocking beauty of her songs and showed her adaptability by somewhat brilliantly replacing a saxophone solo with one on a kazoo. A backing singer to King Creosote and The Earlies in the past, she showed just how ready she is to take the centre stage herself.

Kids On Bridges

Kids On Bridges at Cellar Vie, 7.45pm (CL)

Some might say Kids On Bridges are a little long in the tooth to be starting out, but age comes with experience and the four piece are fully capable of pouring all of theirs into sparkling pop-dance nuggets. They did occasionally lack adventure and hit a foot-dragging mid-tempo that threatened to drag their set down, but there was enough firepower present to suggest they could yet explode.

Little Boots at Bar 38, 8.30pm (CM)

A PopJustice showcase is always bound to be a winner, even if you do have to pay £3.70 for a bottle of beer. Oh well, never mind, because Little Boots is here, clad in a rather marvellous dress making rather marvellous music. This is pop how it should be done, catchy and eminently danceable. She fills the room with more soon-to-be disco hits in the space of half an hour then a lot of bands have done in their entire career, and manages to make some of the more established acts on the scene at the moment sound like the offcuts from an episode of X-Factor.

To The Bones

To The Bones at Cellar Vie, 8.30pm (CL)

It’s an impressive band that don’t allow a set cleaved in two by a broken guitar to lose any of its impetus, but anyone who knows To The Bones already knows they are special. For the uninitiated, tonight’s set came complete with frontman Red, resplendent with his Lemmy sideburns and cascading hair, roaming the audience while the rest of the Bolton four piece lobbed out their heavy rock thrills with considerable effect. If a set this good is them under the no soundcheck horrors of ITC, just imagine how powerful they are in full effect.

Its A Buffalo at The Deaf Institute, 8.30pm (NB)

Local boys Its A Buffalo are a tight four piece with an eclectic feel. At times they’re pure 80s indie, Jam-esque and energetic, but their third song has a hoedown stomp to it and a thrashy, simple guitar sound, which somehow blends Arcade Fire and their source material of Bowie and Springsteen with a country flavour. The sense of it being a bit plodding at times is countered by the fast drum fills that have an XTRMNTR-era Primal Scream intensity and the prominent bass driving the songs. Accessible and highly listenable.

El Condorez

El Condorez at Studio, 9.15pm (CL)

A place on the official ITC showcase is a big moment for any band and one that comes with plenty of pressure. The presumed high stakes almost caused a breaking point for El Condorez when a combination of a broken string, broken tuner and weirdly inappropriate bumping and grinding fan threatened to derail the band before they’d managed two songs. Thankfully, their confidence in their solid rock sound was enough to bring them back around; they’re right to love it. It might be a bit too mid-Atlantic for some tastes, but tonight, their self-belief was strong enough to allay any such worries.

The Laurel Collective at Opus, 9.15pm (CM)

Of all the places to hold an In the City fringe event, Opus really isn’t one which immediately springs to mind, as evidenced in the fact that members of The Laurel Collective almost outnumber the audience. Which is a shame, because live this is a band filled to the brim with energy, amidst a strange mish-mash of two singers who look as though they should be fronting a 21st century version of The Odd Couple, a trumpet player and a hell of a lot of bongos. Strangely it works, and with them recently being signed to Domino, you should look forward to hearing more from this lot very soon and they should look forward to getting bigger audiences.

Little Comets at The Deaf Institute, 9.15pm (NB)

Little Comets have an unruly sound, all yelps and quirky guitar. The beat is unusual, the pace of songs changes constantly. Tambourines hang from the ceiling. They’re instantly gripping, firing off a capellas indiscriminately and introducing ‘a song about mum and dad’ called ‘Adultery’. ‘Friday Don’t Need It’ charts the familiar waters of pondering romance, while the next tune is introduced as a song for dancing. It doesn’t get many moving, but it really should, being a frenetic, pulsating treat of a song. The sense that the guitar sound of Razorlight’s ‘Fall To Pieces’ is stretched it over their entire set is surprisingly pleasing.

Bo Pepper

Bo Pepper at Chicago Rock, 9.40pm (CL)

Surprisingly and impressively, Bo Pepper combine elements of Blondie new wave, sixties pop and zeitgeist indie to killer effect, slipping the sort of lyrical hooks and musical barbs into your brain that slowly drive you insane with pleasure. And if the future star that is singer Dolly Pepper, brilliantly accessorized by a leopard print guitar, weren’t enough for you, how about the intensely odd reality of their twin brother drummers? Rest assured, Bo Pepper are something special.

Tubelord at The Deaf Institute, 10pm (NB)

Three piece outfit Tubelord have the irregular rhythms and incisive guitars of At The Drive In. Loud and thrashy tendencies are complemented by precise guitar interludes and decent harmonies. Their exceptional guitarist looks like the offspring of Jarvis Cocker and Kurt Cobain, and his complex fretwork with the vocalist’s roaring voice with an American post-punk flavour are a powerful combination.

Daggers

Daggers at Bar 38, 10pm (CL)

Are Daggers a victory or a failure of style over substance? Certainly they begin by seeming like the kind of band who love their 80s sleeveless, monochrome image more than their cut-price (We Are) Performance sound, but when the guitars kick in on and a darkness glowers around their electro surges, there are glimpses of there being not just a point to, but also a future for Daggers after all, though they need work and a lot more adventure.

The Liftmen at Studio, 10.30pm (CH)

Twisted Nerve’s Tenth Anniversary Showcase was predictably busy, the crowd fleshed out by a horde of In The City delegates, alongside the likes of Damon Gough and Jarvis Cocker.  The Liftmen take to the stage without much ceremony and ooze puddles of cool. With a classic garage line-up of guitar, drums and bass, The Liftmen roll out Fugazi-tinted odysseys and dried bubblegum bursts. Cheeky, surfy tones mix with jazzy, Detroit shapes as Kim Deal-style vocals salt and sass within. The Liftmen are a typical Twisted Nerve band – quirky, experimental and strangely loveable. Unusual chord changes and dark strummy segues emerge from the mists of the cooler than cool, distinctively American sound. These are musicians feeling their way, making music for music’s sake and forgetting the world beyond this noble cause.

The Jessie Rose Trip (c) Rebecca Lupton

The Jessie Rose Trip at Chicago Rock, 10.30pm (CL)

Jessie Rose is a revelation. Not for her sleepy indie or standard pop; instead, with the fine backing of her talented band, she sets sail for soul and reggae waters, recalling the smoky confines of a 50s jazz club with her delicious vocals and off-kilter melodies. The dullards might group her with Amy Winehouse but in truth, she’s got a much larger potential. Her songs are filled with adventure, her musical choices are thrilling (who sticks a ukulele with a double bass?) and her future is very bright. Put bluntly, Jessie is a trip worth taking.

Twisted Wheel at The Deaf Institute, 10.45pm (NB)

There’s no doubt who the people want to see tonight. Oldham boys Twisted Wheel have a name evoking the Northern Soul days and the raucous, dancing fanbase to match, being turned away at the door as the place is so full. There’s the swagger and poise of young Oasis and the short hair and buttoned-up shirt give singer Jonny the mod look to match his early Weller credentials as a vocalist and wry social observer. It’s the kind of blue collar brazenness that record labels slaver over and you can see why. We’ll be seeing more of these.

The Duds at Tiger Lounge, 11.15pm (CH)

The Duds prang out loose, peppy punk with a Husker Du sensibility. Smacking of early Green Day, this three piece fit the smouldering, retro surroundings of the wonderful Tiger Lounge perfectly. With a pure attitude of ‘grab and instrument and go’, The Duds are a refreshing sign that the punk mentality is still alive and kicking in our fair city.  Who cares that they slip and trip a few times, this band aren’t here to impress investors and get press, they’re here to middle finger salute that very concept. And amen to that.