Skip to main content

Little Comets - Big Stars

Forget one night in October.
March 14th 2015.
 O2 Academy Newcastle.
The hottest gig in the town.

The native Geordies returned to their homeland, closing their UK tour just in time for Mother's day (they're good lads eh?). Little Comets have become the jewel of the North East indie scene, a benchmark for any alternative lad or lass. To make a long story short: they're the perfect combination of deliciously poetic and idiosyncratic lyrics and infectiously catchy riffs. Not many bands can get an entire room dancing to songs about political hardships, feminism, abortion or social anxiety.

Kicking the night off were "born in the Bay" boys Lisbon. Fresh from their sell out headline show in the O2 the previous month, the group raced through their set list, starting with their upbeat "Rio" and closing with local anthem "Blue Love". Perhaps it was the larger venue or the fact the crowd weren't as pumped as they could have been, but the boys weren't didn't quite live up to their usual charismatic performance. Front man Matthew Varty's banter with the crowd was minimal - such a shame as one of their strengths is the amiability and obvious friendship between the boys. You can see how much they enjoy performing together and consequently they do it well. Regardless, the lads played technically well and Varty still belted out his gritty sound, reinforced by their potent harmonies.

Next up was Scottish born Model Aeroplanes. After listening to their tracks on Spotify before the gig, I was anticipating a catchy ice breaker at best. I couldn't have been more wrong. Their greatest strength is the energy of their live performances, they were utterly electric. The sound was so powerful, evoking an enthusiastic dance from even the most reserved audience members. Whatever 'it' is, these guys have got it. Watch this space...

Then at 8:30 the room was captured by an enticing tease of beautifully familiar music. The aptly entitled opener: "Gift of Sound" from "Hope is just a state of mind", engulfed the room until there wasn't a stationary body in sight. Followed by a surprise but perfectly transitioned classic Isles, the boys had the audience singing along to every word sending their fans into a state of complete eudemonia.

With every song the ambiance grew more heavenly until it was impossible to keep still, everyone was in their element gyrating like there was no tomorrow. The atmospheric crescendo is something that needs to be experienced, not retold. Little Comets know their trade and execute it spectacularly -  far more than a £12.50 ticket would suggest.

As the final note of Adultery resonated, the atmosphere was transformed. Still as electric with the audience hanging on to every syllable of every word, enabling the band to exercise a long neglected duty of music - delivering the messages of the people. The band showed their political flair through 'The blur, the line and the thickest of onions', 'Coalition of One' and 'My Boy William'. Songs so powerful, nobody could deny their glory. In fact the only way they could be improved is when their native folk recite them back at a diaphragm busting dynamic. Rob sang with an army of fellow North Easterners reinforcing their endeavours regarding the political injustice of society and the hardships the north-east have faced. Little Comets make me proud to be from Newcastle.

After warming the hearts of the room, it was time to warm the rest of the body back up, breaking the seriousness with 'Worry'. A song so iconic with a herculean guitar riff, it can only be described as the quintessentially perfect indie rock floor-filler. The band managed to recapture the galvanic atmosphere with a handful of notes.

But all good things come to an end, 'In Blue Music we trust' concluded the epic night. This show was undoubtedly their best yet - emphasis on the yet.
Hats well and truly off to you lads. You've done Newcastle proud.
 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Track of the Week - Sarajevo - The K's

Merseyside natives The K's kicked off 2018 by announcing that they had been signed to Republic Music Management. With a handful of sold-out headline shows already under their belt, their tongue-and-cheek indie tunes are earning them a loyal fan base and plenty of buzz. Their debut single 'Sarajevo' is an infectiously catchy and utterly charming track. The vocals are akin to a more in-tune Jamie T, giving their witty lyrics a warm ambiance.  The upbeat melody gives a nod to early 2000s indie, but the ferocious riffs and hearty bass lines give it plenty of originality.  The track has already achieved half a million streams on Spotify and it's a sure bet that there's bigger and better things on the horizon for The K's. FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Red Rum Club with Support From Tiger Twins, Paradas and Turnstones

Last night Liverpudlian six-piece Red Rum Club enthralled a lively crowd at Leeds' Lending Room. Kicking the night off was Leeds based four-piece Turnstones . Unfortunately, the majority of their set was timid and unimpressive. Their songs were pleasant enough, just very safe sounding, and they looked painfully awkward on stage. However the last two tracks of their set were fantastic -they skyrocketed from blasé to ballsy. They engaged more with the audience and came out of their shells - it was like watching a completely different band. They need to scrap the first section of their set and focus on creating songs like the last two. Up next was local group Paradas . Their front man had a dreamy rock tone, akin to Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill, with an admirable vocal range. His lilting vocals complimented the gritty classic rock inspired riffs, giving their sound a rich depth. Occasionally their riffs were a bit repetitive, so it'd be interesting to see some ...

Gig Review - Double Denim Live Presents: Carnation with support from Life At The Arcade, Defender and Louie James

Double Denim Live returned to Verve Bar in Leeds to host a night of ebullient music from Carnation , Life at the Arcade , Defender and Louie James . Kicking the night off was a solo set from Wakefield singer-songwriter Louie James. James played a range of original and cover songs, showcasing his brand of soulful and sincere tunes. His guitar playing was entertaining, and offered a good variety of riffs and harmonies. All the tracks had their own identity, whilst maintaining a distinct sound for his music as a whole. His greatest strength is his quirky lyrics. Whether he was singing about a 'gravy splash' or annoying a taxi driver when he got 'food on his seat belt', his lyrics possess a candid charm that gave his tracks a witty edge. His cover of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades' was the highlight of his set. He put a refreshing twist on the rock classic, drawing from early 00s indie influences with the melody and incorporating a chilled blues u...