Support Dave Hay and the Defendants would not have got past 12 Just Men - nor indeed make any hay.
They fully deserved the attrocious level of punning in the latter sentence, in fact a long sentence would have suited these defendants very well.
The singer looked like a Silvikrin version of Chent of Legendary-Swim-Naked at 20, except he was slightly taller; all chiselled cheak bones; blonde hair and odd gestures. The guitarist looked like Mr Good Bacteria from the Actimel ads. Foppish fringes are all well and good, but they need the right context and this wasn't it.
The music was Sweetheart of the Main Street - both well-ploughed furrows. Only two songs stood out from all the dross - the third, which was a bit of Americana Punk, and the last song - straight off the Velevets VU (but Stonesy too), Alan was convinced it had to be a cover.
The rest was largely Americana (first half) or bar band (a la J. Geils...?) - second half. I never want to hear most of it again - is that definitive enough?
Charlotte H came on th the strains of Kim Wilde's Kids In America. Apt indeed, and then proceeded to wow us with 'a song about a gardener'.
This part of the review will be shorter because there is so much less to say when you enjoy a band.
The bass was not loud enough - there that's the major criticism over with. Everything else was pristine quality - especially the backing vocals )actually loud enough for once!), and the synth, whhich blended in with tather than overpowered the rest of the sound rather - another big plus.
As far as I can tell. the whole album was played, along with two Ash b-sides (neither of which I knew). The besr songs were: Kim Wilde; Summer; Bastardo and Grey Will Fade. Stop was the worst by some way, but only becasue the bass is so integral to the Beefheartian mesh of sound it has.
There was minimal audience interaction from Charlotte and the band, but it still seemed very initmate and exciting - this is the best of the Academy venues in Manchester.
I would love to hear a bootleg of this gig - some of it was definitely better than the records, and you can't really ask for more than that can you?
- Neal 26/09/04