Telegram @ Waterfront Studio
Guitar bands R us.
So tonight doesn't start well with every parking space in the city full due to the FOOTBALLS being on. Sigh. I genuinely hoped that everyone was coming to see Telegram, but no.
Norwich threesome Painted Heathers formed last summer, and this is only their third gig. There are elements of cheeky riffs from early The Cure in there, particularly in the best song of the set, Little Steps, some hints of swoony shoegaze and squally feedback. Vocally it needs some work as it's a bit dull, although Brandon's chatty and confident. The three of them are rather static onstage and it's a little derivative; in fact it reminds me of the tape of The Smiths B-sides I recorded tape to tape (look it up, kids) over 20 years ago - muffled, tinny and carrying a sense that they could achieve more. I hope they do.
The second trio of the night, Warm Brains are a brash Sub Pop dream with a British accent, scuzzy Dinosaur Jnr guitar, that good Mudhoney bass thumping sound and strong drums. I'm not convinced about the vocals..the lead singer's got a good voice to be sure, but musically it's so dense and raw perhaps it needs a screamer or bellower over the top instead. It's messy and noisy and deconstructed and complex and full. I really like it. Very interesting.
Telegram are three dark pouting guys plus a tousled-haired lead singer who looks like he'd be the local boy on the motorbike who'd take your maidenhood, teach you how to smoke fags and then break your heart. They dress like bad boys out of a teenage girls magazine from 1978, and each look like they're already a rock n roll/metal/glam rock hero before they've even started. Their sound is big, almost too phat for the Studio, and they really can play, giving it full welly right from the start. There's a driving force behind the drums and they're tight as fuck as a band. It's a 70's rock sound for sure, that moment when 60's folk and psychadelic got a little harder and a bit braver, and if you've been watching the TV show Vinyl they'd fit right in there. Sure, there's a definite retro vibe; they're channelling many influences both with their music and style, and this is clearly a 'performance' in the truest sense of the word, but to write them off as merely some sort of novelty act would be a mistake. They are a genuine band, and pretty good. The 100 strong crowd are largely unmoved, however, and strangely, I start to feel bored myself after the first 30 minutes..there's not much variation in their set after all, everything's at the same pace and I feel I know exactly what's going to happen next. The danger and thrill that these boys look like they should be delivering just isn't forthcoming; it's all a bit too clean cut and predictable. They need to be more messy, less polished, get out in the audience a bit and cause a motherfucking ruckus. I just don't think I believe in them quite yet. Still, this is their first headline tour, they're nice and polite and grateful to us for coming out to play on a school night, so I won't give up on them yet. The singles sound confident and their cover of Bowie's Heroes is more than competant, but I just wish their own personal stamp and personalities had been etched on the show a little more. Overall though, not bad at all.
