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The
Wedge had been filling steadily during solid support slots from
The Ridgeway and Cure sound-alikes Crackout. By the time indie rockers
Haven took to the stage, a respectable crowd had gathered.
Kicking
things off with the soaring track Tell Me, they show in one song
that they are much better than many people give them credit for.
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| Nat
Wason |
Some
bands are album bands and some bands are live bands. Haven are,
without doubt, a live band. They are very tight and incredibly polished
and this is something that seems to be so underrated these days.
Tonight
Haven demonstrate that they are stronger than their albums convey.
Their latest album, All For A Reason, can come across as limp and
uninspiring but the live versions of these heart-rending tracks
come leaping off the stage with masses of emotional energy and with
much more intensity than their record allows.
Standout
tracks like Tell Me, the driving love song What Love Is and, of
course, their breakthrough anthem Say Something show the band at
their best and during these songs the foursome are truly outstanding.
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| Iwan
Gronow |
Gary
Briggs' powerful vocals have a hint of gruffness tonight and sound
slightly more edgy, adding some much needed character, while bassist
Iwan Gronow overlays his own vocals to create some effectively subtle
harmonies.
Guitarist
Nat Wason, provides some excellent fretwork, adding smooth, understated
jangling riffs to Gary's rhythm guitar and, hidden behind his drum
kit, Jack Mitchell keeps it all together.
Haven
seem fairly subdued tonight and there's not a lot of activity on
stage. Instead a screen at the back of the stage helps to create
the appearance of movement by projecting live images of each band
member as well as images of high-rise buildings, falling snow and
speeding clouds. They all seem to be in their own little world and
intently play in their own part of the stage. This
is reflected in the audience as people stand motionless except for
bobbing heads or tapping feet.
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| Jack
Mitchell |
That's
not to say that people aren't enjoying themselves. In various parts
of the room, clumps of hardcore Haven fans can be seen getting into
the spirit of the gig, singing every lyric to every song with as
much emotion as Gary Briggs. And it's not that kind of fan you'd
expect either - grown men are singing their hearts out and they
don't care who's watching.
As
the last chord of the encore hums around the room, Haven exit the
stage. The Wedgewood Rooms may not have given them the reception
they deserved but they've shown that they are competent contenders
on the indie music scene.
What
did you think of Haven at The Wedgewood Rooms?
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Message Board.
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