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COG Review - 8/3/08 (Brightlights/Raid/Manikees/Buddha Pests)

Club Night Review

Saturday 8^th March at the Metro, Oxford Street

Bands: Brightlights, The Raid, Manikees, Buddha Pests

Good evening. I know this may not be evening, but I’m trying to set a mood here. So if it isn’t, pretend it is. As the misty dusk settles over this gloomy, wintry country allow me to introduce myself: Muhammad Odeh at your service. The good people at Check Out Gigs have hired me to review their excellent club nights. Why? Because they’re good judges of character, that’s why. They know a good reviewer when they see one; a man with a sea, nay, an ocean of musical knowledge at his disposal, a man whose finger is so on the pulse of indie and rock, he’s pierced the carotid artery and is in desperate need of medical attention. Seriously, there’s blood everywhere, call for help.

As we’re waiting for the emergency services, let me recap for you a glorious night of entertainment on the 8^th of March at the moodily lit Metro in Oxford Street. The night started at 7.30, which naturally meant the first band sauntered on to the stage at 8.00. Some unassuming people walked onto the stage, mumbled a quick introduction, and before people had a chance to prepare themselves, a welcoming punky song started up. The Buddha Pests had arrived. Sort of. Most people’s glares were focussed on the interesting-looking female drummer. Ann Rock’s platinum-blonde locks took nothing away from her more than capable performance, as she began a theme of good drumming throughout the entire evening’s line-up.

The good thing about the Pests was that you knew where you were with them the moment they started playing. Simple, tuneful and hooky indie rock played effectively by a competent three-piece. Every song seemed to be a direct influence of a rock great. There was a track that sounded like a Pixies B-side, another reminiscent of REM, and yet another with a riff taken straight from a ‘how-to-play Nirvana’ book. The whole thing played homage to grunge, and 90s rock in particular. The singing style even changed from song to song to better capture the feel of their role-models.

What was unfortunate was that the drummer’s appearance was the most interesting thing to come out of the Pests. Throughout their set they kept a good pace, their songs laced with an urgency that kept them pleasurable, but their lead singer lacked the charisma or voice to give their simple songs and even simpler lyrics the substance they craved. His matter-of-fact delivery seemed always seemed suitable but restricted them from reaching the heights of the bands they emulated. A catchy set on the whole, but there was a definite atmosphere pick-up with the arrival on stage of the Manikees.

Already heroes in their hometown of Fife, the Manikees seemed to have brought a large contingent of unwavering hardcore fans Doon Sooth with them, and the excitement buzzed through the crowd as they started their sing-along performance. For the uninitiated, the three-piece Scottish group look like the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s friendlier cousins, playing cheerier rock ’n’ roll. They sound like the lovechild of the Goo Goo Dolls, the Beach Boys and Oasis (if you could tolerate such an image), a child that fell onto its head in such a way that it’s always happy.

Some of the songs (particularly ‘Tomorrow’s Another Day’) sound like straight Oasis tribute-band style rip-offs, and their lyrics are ludicrously clichéd, but the lack of depth gives way to the earnestness with which they play and their innocent, genuine niceness make the Manikees incredibly likeable.

Indeed, their happy-go-lucky-scamp attitude coupled with fans so loyal they sang along even after the songs finished provided a highly effective atmosphere, charging your jovial meter to maximum with their songs on social life in modern-day Scotland, much like the Arctic Monkeys did for Sheffield, only a little less insightful. Even so, one of the most striking things about them was the lack of any weak songs. Every track they played was a catchy, foot-tapping song for the everyman.

Almost comically, once they’d finished, their hardcore fans left with them, leaving a dearth of people at the front, which was more than replenished by the time the Raid came on. Ah, the Raid. Anger. Three-pronged guitar attacks. Intense drumming from the excellent Tom Chambers (who looks like he should be teaching economics in some 60s polytechnic, but plays like a demon who as a baby was left on the doorstep of the NHS hospital in Hades, and is now burning with anger at his parents) . Proper music with substance, played by a proper five-piece. They may not have been the biggest band on that night, but they were the best.

The lead singer Adam Robinson’s emotive growling belied his slender frame. They sound good recorded, but oh so much better live. He dropped his acoustic guitar after the first song to inject some real charisma with his animated stage presence. The crowd were really filling out by now, and they were enjoying a truly talented up-and-coming band that in a perfect world would be falling apart due to alcoholism, infighting and too much debauchery brought on from massive worldwide success.

Despite having two guitars, there was no diluting complexity or indulgent over-long solo. Instead their extra instrument was used to add oomph to the tunes, giving them a far more powerful sound than the other acts. This was complimented with truly excellent musicianship, and no let-up in the energy, particularly with the ferocious drumming.

Excellent as the Raid were, there was an even bigger atmosphere boost for the main event of the night, Grimsby’s very own The Brightlights. The laid-back four-piece proffered their take on soulful indie songs with aplomb. The pitch-perfect delivery from the whole band will trick you into thinking this group of 19-year-olds have been around for a long, long time.

The high quality musicianship led to excellent outings for songs like ‘Another Night’ and the terrific ‘Inspired By’, a simple yet already anthemic song that can easily be played as a highlight in a massive festival, with tens of thousands singing ‘I’ve been trying’ slightly off-key as they’re all drunk.

One of the main aspects of the Brightlights’ personality is Leon Blanchard’s voice – a unique timbre reminiscent of Mike Powers from Cast, only, you know, actually good and not grating after five minutes. The keyboard complimented the band’s songs perfectly, particularly when providing a melody during Blanchard’s handy solo work.

Once again James Buxton’s drumming was passionate and truly exemplary, and the bass player seemed far more competent than his counterparts for the first two bands. It’s no surprise the Brightlights have garnered the attention of NME et al, being labelled as THE up-and-coming band of this year may be a lofty title, but it is certainly well-deserved.

As they rounded up their set after an excellent night’s work, people were still coming in to the Metro. When the bands finish, the music still goes on with the DJs until well into the wee hours. Is that the ambulance I can hear? Good, I’m starting to feel very faint. You couldn’t scoop up that pool of blood and put it into a plastic bag could you? It may come in handy. What do you mean you don’t have a ladle? Oh, alright, off you go then. Until next time,

Muhammad Odeh