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Tonight’s venue sounds more like a reference to a Tory MP’s auto-erotic asphyxiation session than a music venue but it’s not a bad little place. A small narrow cellar is used to perform with the action relayed via CCTV to monitors and screens in the bar. The size of the basement makes it a very intimate experience as the audience has no choice but to get upfront and personal with the band, who in turn look a tad intimidated by the invasion of their space. Still, while we don’t get too much eye contact we get more than enough quirky indie pop from the Scando/Franco five piece. Whilst they look barely old enough to be in a bar they produce a swoonsome racket that belies their age and experience. What’s especially surprising is just how similar to their spiffing recorded sound they are live. Considering they’ve spent most of their existence living in different cities to each other, making rehearsals somewhat tricky, this is some achievement.
They start off with a couple of low key new tracks but it all kicks off with track three, the frantic scuzzed pop genius of Sister in Love. The momentum is maintained with the Pavement slacker stroll of Isabelle and Leonard and two of Audrey’s cute childlike vocalised efforts; the discordant and unsettling New Order with a bowel disorder single It is the Law and the bubblegum pop of Audrey in the Country. Glue is Apples in Stereo wonky psychedelia and by the time they finish with the Pixies squawk of My Fren we’re already discussing seeing them again the next week in the far from celubrious environs of a pub in New Cross. I’m not sure why, now based in North Yorkshire, they are doing these South London micro venues but we’re truly grateful. As the promoter said prior to them performing, they’ll be doing much bigger locations soon. Too right. Marvellous stuff.