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‘Me, I just don’t give a fuck’ slurs Sam Riley, one of the few frontmen whose gyrating hips could have given Elvis a run for his money. After checking the price of tonight’s beer (‘£3? Not Bad!’), the Things ride on with ‘You’re Nicked’ with its brilliant bass line and then straight into ‘Soppy Mate’. This one has a much deeper sound compared to the usual Things style, and it shows off Will’s axe work brilliantly as he stands on the stage completely absorbed - the same can be said for ‘Sunken Ship’ which sees George playing as though it’s his last show.
The Audience give the boys a response to match the music and are kept entertained by Sam as the gang get ready for ‘Wishful Thinking’. These few minutes as a stand up comedian provide the Carling Academy Islington with an invaluable joke; ‘What do you call a knight of the round table that dribbles a lot? – Sir-liva’. Don’t quit the day job Sam.
Like ‘Soppy Mate’, ‘Wishful Thinking’ puts a different slant on the Things usual rock n roll style with a really full and deep sound that gives Sam’s vocals a perfect
chance to show their muscle. Then for the 10,000 Things trademark song: ‘Eating’s Not Cheating’. Sam jumps down on the dance floor and duckwalks back and forth as the band throw themselves into the performance. This number is the deal clincher - its official; the crowd love ‘em. And for the penultimate song, one that’s brimming with blues - ‘Dogsbody’; looking cool (or, as some say, hot) Davro and Justin’s rhythm and percussion work just layer up the song with Will’s axe icing the cake. Sam grabs the neck of Will’s guitar at the end to hold him back so that he can tell the eager crowd that their last one (‘Femailen’) is about being abducted by aliens off the East Coast of Yorkshire and used as sex slaves. 10,000 Things put all they’ve got into this one, Justin and Will are possessed by their instruments, Stobb’s arms are a blur, George and Davro perform a synchronised jump and Sam struts his stuff like only he can. There is just one word for tonight’s performance - and that is a breathless ‘WOW’.