Gig Review - The Ting Tings
Tuesday 7th October 2008 @ Academy, Bristol
I had heard a lot of hype about The Ting Tings so I was intrigued to go and see them at this year’s Glastonbury Festival at the John Peel Stage. The tent and field was so packed full of people you couldn’t hear anything from where I was stood so I gave up and went to watch someone else. The gig tonight was also packed to the rafters, sold out not long after the tickets went on sale. A few ticket touts outside the venue were desperately trying to buy any spares from people but were without luck - looked like nobody had decided to stay in and watch Eastenders after all, they all wanted a piece of Ting action.
When I think of The Ting Tings, I find it impossible not to compare them to The White Stripes. Probably because both bands consist of a male and female playing drums and a guitar but even though The White Stripes play bluesy rock ‘n’ roll and The Ting Tings play poppy, sing- along catchy tunes, both bands emit an enormous sound and energy to the crowds watching them.
First to walk on stage to a rapturous applause was Jules De Martino, clad in his customary 80’s style white shades, coolly sitting down at his drum kit playing his guitar. As his playing continued, coming out from the side of the stage was Katie White to an even bigger applause; “Hello Bristol!!! At last were not playing here as a fucking support band!!!” she yelled before launching into their first song We Started Nothing.
Within seconds the crowd was going ballistic, matching Katie’s boundless energy as she bounced and danced around the stage singing and only even keeping still briefly to play the keyboard. Throughout the rest of the gig Katie ran, jumped and danced from one end of the stage to the other, occasionally jumping up onto the drum podium and her own podium at the opposite end of the stage to Jules. The crowd and band were easily feeding off each others energy.
The biggest cheers and sing-alongs of the night came from their singles That’s Not My Name, Shut Up and Let Me Go and Great DJ. Having only released one album so far the set list was short but that didn’t stop the crowd wanting more. If they carry on like this I can guarantee they won’t be playing a mid-afternoon slot at next year’s Glasto.
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