SUPPORT: Straight Lines, Scholars
Tonight?s banquet of British talent sees England, Scotland and Wales offering up their finest young musical collectives for inspection, with SCHOLARS [4.5/5] beginning by making a formidable impression on home turf. From the outset, it?s an energetic and crowd-bothering performance from Sam Nicholls and his Hemel Hempstead compatriots; rowdy yet cohesive to the point of excellence. With their laddish presence and ability to excite this somewhat stagnant opening crowd, Scholars do a fine job of leading the early class.
Welsh boyos STRAIGHT LINES [3/5] may not have offered up as immediate a punch to the aural senses as Scholars; by Tom Jenkins? own admission, ?We may be rusty, but we?re men and we?re made of steel.? Still, a rusty Straight Lines show is hardly something to discard, and with a sneak peak at a hefty slab of new material, Straight Lines prove once again that even on their off days, they?re better than most.
TWIN ATLANTIC [4.5/5] have certainly come along way since we fist saw them back in ?08. Here is a band that appears on the cusp of greatness in the months to come and with their live show as tight as it was on our first impression, they certainly have the substance to back the hype. Bursting onstage with new single ?Edit Me?, a predictable shitstorm occurs down front and doesn?t let up for the following half hour or so. Despite Sam McTrusty?s voice already suffering from the strains of the tour, Twin Atlantic deliver an exceptional, incendiary live performance to an extremely satisfied Kingston Peel. Job?s a good?un lads.
ANDY RITCHIE
For more photos from this show, head over to our photo galleries section.