Our beloved Zodiac was chosen as a venue at short notice for the well regarded The Dead 60’s last Thursday night, and although sparsely attended, the sheer punchiness and pace of the band’s performance made for a satisfying evening. A poll of music industry professionals in 2005 voted The Dead 60’s as the second most likely band to make it to the big time, well ahead of the luminaries Scissor Sisters and just behind The Bravery. But this early promise fizzled out with a lacklustre apocryphal first album, so now the heat is on to see whether they can turn things around and kick start their reputation. On the positive side, they have some good things going for them, which may give them the edge in forthcoming duels with other indie contenders. First and foremost they are an impressive live outfit. The show is reminiscent of a 15 round bout of 3 minute workouts, the songs pound you into submission, the sheer aggressive energy of their attack left the audience punch drunk, reeling on the ropes. Lead singer Matt McManaman looks like a promising young welterweight, skipping onto the stage, bobbing and weaving his way through the up tempo numbers from their first album. “Riot Radio” and “Different Age” are clearly derivative of The Clash and The Specials, nonetheless the dub echo keyboard sound is fresh and clever. He jabs out the lyrics and stuns the audience with flurries and combinations of spiky guitar and angry lyrics of urban tension. Furthermore, these crop topped reluctant scousers have pin-up good looks; they are as fit as butcher’s dogs and all could be clothes horses for Fred Perry. But they are too focused on their work to be called poseurs. We might expect them to be a shade ring rusty after hot housing it in a US studio for 6 months, preparing their make or break second album. No way, they have been in training and they are tight and well honed, there is a concentrated seriousness about their stage presence. The new songs are stronger on melody and build on the earlier more rhythmical ska/punk material, so I’d say the future looks bright. They could be contenders. A year ago they played downstairs here and it is obvious they have a good deal more gravitas than back then. The Dead 60’s clearly showed they can punch well above their weight, so watch out and don’t stand in their way. | 
