The Futureheads @ Exeter Phoenix 25/2/08 (live review)
This gig seemed to come out of nowhere. To find that The Futureheads were playing somewhere like the Phoenix shocked me a little. I know they have been quiet of late due to being dropped by their label, and I know that people regarded their second album (wrongly) as a bit shit, but when tripe like the Pidgeon Detectives can sell out the Lemmy in a day, surely there is a place for a band like The Futureheads in a larger venue.
Not That I should complain. The Phoenix is my favourite Exeter venue and even though I was near the back of the hall I could still every bead of sweat trickle down the face of the band as they played with every fibre of their being.
This is an intensely energetic band, far more intense than when I saw them two years ago headlining Truck Festival. There is a passion to lead singer Barry that can only come from real need and desire to prove something. Indeed, sometimes notes were sacrificed to give way to the sheer fury with which he yelled his lines. The effect was striking, jarring slightly with the less offensive, rhythmical style The Futureheads have.
Despite this they were as tight as an indie kids back pocket, at at times you could see them as a kind of precursor to the maths rock/dance that seems to be in vogue all of a sudden. Their singles shone like beacons from the rest of the set, “Skip To The End,” “Mean Time” and “Decent Days And Nights” were all the better for the live setting, and the crowd participation during “Hounds Of Love” seemed cheesy to start but made for a more special moment.
I think we need to hold judgement until the third album is unleashed, because I wasn’t by any means convinced that this is a band with something fresh and new to offer, but from the sounds of it these guys are certainly on the up, renewed by their escape from the shackles of a major label.
By Jonathan Garrett
www.myspace.com/thefutureheads
Bookmark and share this page with:Not That I should complain. The Phoenix is my favourite Exeter venue and even though I was near the back of the hall I could still every bead of sweat trickle down the face of the band as they played with every fibre of their being.
This is an intensely energetic band, far more intense than when I saw them two years ago headlining Truck Festival. There is a passion to lead singer Barry that can only come from real need and desire to prove something. Indeed, sometimes notes were sacrificed to give way to the sheer fury with which he yelled his lines. The effect was striking, jarring slightly with the less offensive, rhythmical style The Futureheads have.
Despite this they were as tight as an indie kids back pocket, at at times you could see them as a kind of precursor to the maths rock/dance that seems to be in vogue all of a sudden. Their singles shone like beacons from the rest of the set, “Skip To The End,” “Mean Time” and “Decent Days And Nights” were all the better for the live setting, and the crowd participation during “Hounds Of Love” seemed cheesy to start but made for a more special moment.
I think we need to hold judgement until the third album is unleashed, because I wasn’t by any means convinced that this is a band with something fresh and new to offer, but from the sounds of it these guys are certainly on the up, renewed by their escape from the shackles of a major label.
By Jonathan Garrett
www.myspace.com/thefutureheads
