The Beat Surrender

The Vine, a proper ‘spit and sawdust’ pub in Leeds. Good points, it does live music and it sells beer (although it did run out of Stella). This was the venue for the latest gig from a band from Headingley called ‘Rubber’. They did used to be called ‘Rubber Band’ but that was just stupid, glad they’ve reverted to a loads more sensible name.

This four piece, 2 boys 2 girls, plays a pleasing brand of rock music and is fronted by the enigmatic Jon Rand. Now this bloke has a laconic style and in all honesty makes the Fonz look like a total amateur in the ‘coolness’ stakes. It is important to make the point once again that most of us would look cool hanging around with Richie Cunningham, Ralph Malph and Pottsy (yeah, I always thought he was called Poxy as well). Anyway, nonchalance is his thing.

His self-assured style and comedic ability are most impressive. But, unlike the rest of us, he doesn’t go flat out to be as funny as he can all the time. It’s as though he woke up on the morning of the gig and said to himself, ‘Yep, I think I’m going to be about this funny today’, and that’s exactly how amusing he was. We all knew though that he had loads left in his locker and if he wanted to crank up the comedy, this would be as effortless as everything else he did. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I do hate him.

The band describes its own style as ‘not taking itself too seriously, a new generation of indie pop with a punky vibe’. OK. Well, luckily the music was loads more catchy.

Rubber kicked off with the delightfully entitled and up-tempo ‘Monkey’s Punk’ and quickly the crowd were totally enthralled. This track features the excellent lyric “I’ve got my Lazyboy, my beans on toast, you’ve got your reasons, got your cheque in the post’ .

A quick change of guitar and they followed with Hornithology, can you see a recurring theme? Another emerging pattern were the technical hitches besetting the band, 2 tracks played, 2 guitar strings broken. This would have put many bands off their game but Rubber took advantage of the situation with a spot of impromptu ‘stand up’ comedy by their drummer Josie. This had the crowd pissing themselves (pretty sure that won’t be the first time that’s happened in the Vine) and gave this frustrated ‘front man’ (who’s a woman) a chance to take centre stage.

Yeah, Josie the drummer is quite a character. Making Animal from the Muppets look quite restrained, she enthuses the band with her energy. Obviously playing small venues Rubber are constrained in terms of how they line up on stage, but a thought would be a little bit of ergonomic change, with the drummer at the front next to the lead. The two guitarists, Everton Jo and Johnny Rumble (real name, proper rock n roll) play with a watchful vigilance, maybe a bit like Boycott and Tavare on the opening day of a test match. To move Josie forward would be akin to moving a combination of Flintoff, Pietersen, Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist up the ‘stage’ order.

Speaking of Animal, there is a definite link to Def Leppard here. The Rubber drummer displayed some quality one-armed stick work, with the other arm thrust in the air in celebration. If the crap Sheffield band need a replacement for their bandito drummer, they need look no further.

Anyway, back to the action. Next up was the lively ‘Storm’, a new song which had its first public airing at the gig, and went down a complete tempest. This powerful track is a ska influenced ditty about a massive row.

‘Panic Button’ followed with its ironic slant on things and then came the wholly enjoyable ‘Physical Ridicule’. Next was the highlight of the evening, the slightly twisted but witty and endearing ‘Touch Myself’. The line “You think I’m pretty normal but you haven’t got a clue about the things I do to myself when you’re not in the room” struck a chord with us all I reckon. Rubber make a good noise but obviously make an effort when writing the lyrics and this pervades their entire set.

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