Perhaps half the problem came from the fact that support band Clor played an excellent set. They draw on numerous influences, including, obligatory these days, The Specials & Gang of Four, but even manage to throw in a 'Popcorn' inspired keyboard part in Magic Touch - in fact the knob twiddling noises were of the highest order throughout. These boys are one to watch.
Vek is obviously talented and confident with it. On the album 'This is Sound' he wrote and performed every note, and how cocky is that title? He's with band tonight though, but they keep their heads down and say nothing - Vek is who we've come to see, especially after making the BBCi's 'Sound of 2005' list.
Yet for all the confidence, he's hardly animated on stage. Granted, the gig is beset with technical problems from the off, the vocals missing for half of opener 'C-C, You Set The Fire in Me', and these disrupted the flow. But Vek made scant attempt to engage the audience. At one point there was three minutes of silence between songs, begging for some filling from the vocalist, but the crowd was left to talk amongst themselves. He doesn't help himself either, by constantly changing instruments.
There are moments, and 'If I Had Changed My Mind' is a tune Mark E Smith would be proud of, but whilst the album has an endearing ramshackle quality it all sounds a tad dull this evening. There were raised eyebrows when he announces 'On the Road' as time to get "chilled out and stuff" as the temperature had barely left zero as it was. Indeed, as he performs it, you can hear the chattering above the band.
Although the finale was not enough to save the night at least, at last, you can tell he's giving it everything. On '...saying my goodbyes' his voice croaks on the chorus, but it doesn't nearly compensate for seeming so half-hearted up to that point.
article by: Jonathan Haggart
published: 27/04/2005 09:57
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.