The Wave Pictures / The Brass Bears / The Gummy Bears / Pamella Moo

Dear Pete,

You've got a lot of nerve. It's two years now since you left me. I was getting over you. I've met an amazing new man. And then you send me that bloody stupid gig review out of the blue - and I can't ignore it. I have to respond. Once.

I'm living in Leicester now with Simon. He's everything that you never were and tonight we've been to see The Wave Pictures. I used to play you tracks from their album 'Instant Coffee Baby'. You'd complain that it was too twee. I don't think you’d find them too twee anymore.

I'm guessing you've never been to the Musician? It's the venue that every town should have. Signed photos adorn the walls documenting acts that have played here over the years. There's a fabulous black and white mural spanning one side of the venue with paintings of rock and pop stars from the past. 20th century cave paintings.

Simon and I arrive early and hear the first support Pamella Moo. It's Amy Winehouse rehashed with a tad of Lily Allen if they both existed in an easy listening jazzy lounge land. Pleasant, (Simon finds her attractive in her leopard print dress) but with no real edge I still find now hours later that I can't get her 'Breaking Up' song out of my head. She ends with her own take on the Kinks 'Sunny afternoon' telling us that she's recently been singled out by Ray Davies himself. I bet.

The Gummy Bears are up next. This is idiosyncratic of Leicester – three older chaps who I reckon might have been doing their 80's new wave stuff in the 1970's. They're going to a fancy dress party as geography teachers but this is fun, happy, humorous music played with skill. They probably own the complete back catalogue of Stiff Records. The Gummy Bears are joined on stage by a brass section, a father and son on trombone and trumpet dressed in dinner jackets and bow ties and we're told the act has now morphed into The Brass Bears. 'Teardrop' paces along with a brass line stolen from Bad Manners' 'Lip up Fatty' and it's no bad thing for it. Father and son are dancing in such an out of time manner that it's eliciting smiles from the audience. It's quirky ska played with enthusiasm and I find it infectious.

Pete – Lyrics are still my thing and David Tattersall, chief songwriter of The Wave Pictures, knows how to write them. There's a tenderness to his words, a sadness that often paints pictures of unrequited love and love gone wrong. This mightn't be his intent at all but it's what I draw from them. It's Morrissey when he was good and had something importantly beautiful to say. Remember when I used to have their tune, 'Friday Night in Loughborough' on repeat play in our kitchen? It's a song about drinking, fighting, vomiting and clubbing in a provincial town whilst completely failing to be macho. It's the antithesis to indie songs of laddish swagger and I love it. They played it third tonight and the audience nod along in recognition of the local scenes it describes.

This is something of a homecoming gig for The Wave Pictures. I honestly can't remember the last time they played in Leicester but it's clear that the promoter of this gig, Ian at Magic Teapot, is held in high regard by them. Tattersall recalls seeing Herman Dune and The Dirty Three as a younger man in Leicester and I'm reminded just how important it is to support those visionary promoters of new live music that all cities should have. Because two of the three Wave Pictures grew up in rural Leicestershire, this gig has something of a family feel to it. I'm willing to bet good money that the three generations singing to every word and dancing to every beat at the front of the venue are Mums, Dad, Nieces, Nephews, Great Aunts and close family friends. When young drummer Jacob (he must have been no more than 10) is asked to drum for the song. 'Just Like A Drummer' so that regular drummer, Jonny Helm, can sing backing vocals, it's like The Wave Pictures are auditioning for a remake of The Partridge Family.

Pete, I know you write The Wave Pictures off as indie twee but on tonight's showing you're wrong to do so. Tattersall's guitar playing is effortless, clean, crisp and complex and 'Seagulls' swoops like a bonus track from Paul Simon's 'Graceland' album. Aided by Helm's impeccably tight drum solos replete with cowbell and bassist Franic Rozycki's purposeful meanderings this is African music from the township of Wymeswold, a very British Vampire Weekend. 'Eskimo Kiss' is the last song before encore and we're almost approaching the Psychedelic Rock of Cream. Once in the set and once in encore, Helm leaves his drums behind and sings centre stage. When he sings 'Now You Are Pregnant' we're in folk country club heaven. Yes – there is twee here – but it's African Twee, Rock Twee and Folk Twee... all cheered on by the Family Twee (terrible pun – sorry!)

I count 16 songs and it's over. I could have stayed longer and there's no doubt that with their impressive back catalogue the Wave Pictures could have played longer. They didn't even touch their Springsteen covers album. But this was a good, solid gig and I'm happy to have been there. Indeed I'm generally much happier now Pete than I was when we were dating. Simon is a good man. Please don't write to me again.

Yours, Joanne.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.