Peace @ Epic
A triumph for Peace
We are approaching the end of the encore and Peace front man Harry Koisser informs us that Happy People has entered the mid-week album chart at No 4. He thanks Norwich for the best night so far of the tour, and for the “best fucking Thursday of my life”.
To be fair, until now audience engagement has been a little sparse during this, the first of two sold out nights at Epic Studios. Even when Harry casually tosses a single bottle of water 'loaves and fishes' style into the audience there is little more than, “Don't get hot or thirsty”. With slightly clumsy pauses between numbers it suggests a band whose performance has improved in leaps and bounds since they opened the NME Awards Tour two years ago, but are endearingly not yet completely at ease in the presence of their fans.
Having opened with Higher Than the Sun and Follow Baby the whole audience was jumping and surging from the off. Yes, this is 'Britpop to Bowie' re-incarnated, and the influences are laid bare for all to see, but what does it matter when you can feel a concrete floor move, and an entire room is having such a good time? If these guys can be the saviours of the guitar band, then let it be. There are more than enough additions and flourishes to give Peace a chance. A run of tracks from Happy People indeed shows just how much the song-writing has matured since In Love, and then it's lighters aloft to California Daze, followed by a blistering double cover of Binary Finary's 1988 and Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You.
I'm a Girl and World Pleasure brings the audience to its peak during the encore. Bass player Samuel has climbed a speaker stack, and security have their hands full in keeping the stage clear of fans, but this has been a triumph for Peace, and a triumph for the future of all guitar bands.
Local boys 'Teen Brains' provided the support. Their west-coast guitar sound with just a hint of grunge is always a welcome addition to any Norwich line-up, and we eagerly await the release of their EP sometime soon.
8/10
