South Wales’ Straight Lines are having a great year. Debut album on Xtra Mile ‘Persistance in this Game’ has been well received, and the band seem so much comfortable in their own skin on stage than their venture out with InMe prior to its release.
Tonights headline slot at Camden Barfly follows a support slot in London the previous week with Futures and The Xcerts, and thankfully tonight Straight Lines seem to have a much better mastery of the stage.
There’s a certain ‘thing’ about the band that’s really captivating, and the progress they’re making is clear for all present to see. The new songs sound crisp, and songs like ‘Versus The Allegiance’ and ‘Say It For Your Sake’ are rapidly becoming classics.
There’s much to be achieved still, but Straight Lines are more than capable of keeping up the momentum they’ve built so far – each show brings more people singing along to every word, and there’s no denying that the band can deliver live.
If there’s a criticism to level, it’s that for all the charm, they’re still a little awkward on-stage. Though it’s certainly somewhat endearing to myself – needing to take control of a bigger room on a big support slot might leave them coming unstuck when trying to convert hoards of unknown and impatient teens. Though I most certainly hope I couldn’t be more wrong.
Photos by Maryam Hassan
