Monday 9th February 2009 @ Academy, Bristol
With Support From: Absent Elk, Gary Go

Opening tonight are Absent Elk, an up and coming band who caused quite a stir on YouTube recently with a cover of The Loving Kind by Girls Aloud. These Brighton boys certainly look and sound the part, with a Keane-esque appeal, and their set is a rollercoaster of polished, tuneful and melodic moments but with a few static ones. They show huge musical promise but at times look scared out of their wits and it somewhat distracts from their musical aims. Though I reckon I might have been a little unnerved up first supporting a sell-out-tour band too.

Next up, Gary Go. What I love about this band is the way they play with the crowd as opposed to simply at them. They open with a sweet number in ¾ timing which is something I always credit a band for – anything to mix it up and do something unpredictable always creates a genuine experience for me. With the addition of a trumpet and keys this band are cheeky, flirty and crowd-pleasing. It’s easy to see how they’ve been picked up to open for the upcoming Take That Circus tour too.

And finally, The Script, the band from Ireland that I damn near slated in my recent album review. I was feeling open but critical tonight and I wanted them to work hard to prove what they were all about – that Irish folk-soul on a hip-hop spine that they hint at on record.

Such pre-gig excitement as they come out! Either the support have done extremely well at whipping this crowd up or The Script are bigger than I give them credit for. It’s an ear-shattering cheer as a provocative drum solo warms up their stage. With a steady introduction of instruments, this is a well devised entrance – the stage is buzzing and the music well balanced.

Two or three songs in and I am almost half way to that ‘WOW factor’ that I have wanted from The Script; without the haze of pretentious over-production, they deliver what I believe they set out to be about and are playing with their heart and soul. We Cry is a hit and there’s some genuine feeling in the room. The vocal harmonies are a huge success; fun-loving and neglecting the seriousness of the song, but I’m left wanting at the end. To me there’s an obvious cue for an a-cappella end and it would have brought the magic to this live event that by and large is lacking. But it’s spirited and is the hip-hop blend that the album reports but does not deliver.

The set continues and they drop off and so do I with Script fatigue and the remainder is lost in murky sameness. Overall I have to credit them; there is a great, raging atmosphere and everyone in the room seems happy but for me, it is just another gig, with few memorable moments.

www.thescriptmusic.com

Becky Midgley
Photos: Dan Marks