The Beat Surrender

There’s no denying that being a budding music writer has its perks. Free music and gigs being the best thing someone like me could wish for! Today though has been flat out. Starting off, I had to meet a review deadline in the afternoon before then driving from Wakefield to interview a band about their latest project in Huddersfield. After giving that enough time we’re flying over to Kev’s house in Tingley to pick up tickets for tonight’s gig and then after all that actually getting to Leeds in time to see the bands!!

Unfortunately, it was all just too much and we missed the first group, Buffalo 77 completely. We actually arrived towards the back end of the main tour supports’ set.
By all accounts we didn’t miss much early on, the first band sound like an American, Coldplay tribute band fronted by Natalie Imbruglia! Just as well we were late then!!

As for the second band, Manchester’s The Answering Machine, I saw just enough to make up my own mind.
Fashion photographer du jour Hedi Slimane has too, taking a range of promo shots for the band and in the process probably raising their profile no end. The melodious jangle of guitars on ‘Silent Hotels’ is incessant and doesn’t really go anywhere, while new single ‘Lightbulbs’ finishes things much better with a quick out of the blocks Strokes-ey feel. Its slapping drums and a vocal recalling Kele Okereke of Bloc Party all come together well enough and this crowd seemed to warm to them.

During the interval, tonight’s main act are putting up a string of cardboard cut out letters spelling their name and when The Rumble Strips finally come out to play, a huge cheer is reserved for them when they career straight into opener ‘Hate Me You Do’.

I missed their set at Glastonbury this year and it was one of my regrets of the weekend. Their refreshing brand of Powerpop Soul is such a welcome break from the glut of average, guitar based bands around at the moment. Huge appreciation is shown during the first stomping sax solo of the night from Tom Gorbutt. Then the nautical theme continues into ‘Building A Boat’ with thumping drums, an elevating chorus and loose piano from Henry Clark who then takes to the trumpet for some rising brass, Dexy’s style on ‘No Soul’.

The brass features heavily throughout but is varied enough to never become too much to bear. The studious drumming from Matthew Wheeler comes to prominence on ‘Oh Creole’ with Charlie Waller’s huge vocal drawing hands into the air. They float, melancholy through ‘Clouds’ and then its anthems out again with ‘Time’ igniting this ecstatic crowd into a sax led jig!

These guys can seriously play and are taking the Cockpit on a rollercoaster ride of emotions through their brilliant debut album ‘Girls And Weather’. Next up, is ‘Hands’ complete with its slamming piano and gentle, uplifting preached lyrics and the tunes just keep on coming. “Beep, Beep, Beep” and they’re off again! The crowd sing along every word to the full of fun ‘Alarm Clock’ and it sounds top with its trumpet coming on like the ‘Quincy’ theme tune!

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