Kicker

The bill needs to some speedy rearranging after tompaulin have to withdraw and Kicker also spend 24 hours regrouping after singer Jill goes down with flu. Their soulful indie-pop doesn’t seem naturally to fit the skill set of the power-trio but as a three-piece they manage to seize triumph from potential disaster as Phil becomes a Don Henley-style singing drummer for the night and the band produce a compelling Creedence-type choogling (with occasional flashes of Gene Clark lyricism). Last track ‘On Your Floor’ is a killer Velvet Underground meets Wedding Present gallop that is a suitably sweaty climax to a surprisingly good set. From their looks of relief afterwards, I doubt that Jill’s position is under serious threat.

Set list: One Summer/ Long Way Down/ Leave A Light On/ Duet For One/ Chancifer/ Madelaine/ Doris Dear/ On Your Floor

The Loves

Two members missing but there’s still plenty of good lovin’. In fact, the Loves have never been as much of a rock’n’roll band as they are tonight. Simon is an animated, charismatic frontman (more Tom Jones than Kelly Jones), Dave outdrums Animal Muppet and the songs sound sweeter than ever. Simon even encourages audience participation on ‘Depeche Mode’! ‘Honey’ rips along in a C86 storm on a Rezillos bassline, while ‘Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!’ has all the arrogant garage-pop snarl of Nuggets, with a manic Music Machine keyboard wheeze. The set list goes to fuck as they go off-piste but who cares: the Mott-the-Hoople glam romance stomp ‘Love’ is in there while they wallow in the blues by slipping seamlessly from ‘Shake Yr Bones’ to ‘Midnight Rambler’. Namesake Courtney might be America’s Sweetheart but, after tonight, London’s in love with The Loves.

Set list (on paper!): X’s And O’s/ The Sound We Make Is…/ Little Girl Blues/ Depeche Mode/ Just Like Bobby D/ Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!/ Honey/ Rock And Roll/ I My She Love You/ Boom-A-Bang-Bang-Bang/ I’m Gonna Get Fucked Up/ Shake Yr Bones

The Projects

Fresh with their UK tour with Broadcast, the Projects are sharper than a tennis player after an illegal pick-me-up. They’ve really learned to win over an audience: there are people dancing to the Projects! Maybe it’s not surprising when their songs are all pulsing rhythms and sparkly pop tones, and it’s no longer possible to stick them with a Stereolab or Krautrock label. ‘Ulysees In the Supermarket’ is dancey funk-punk, making New York redundant. There’s JAMC-style screechy darkness on ‘Accidents Will Happen’ while ‘Runner Up’ is a riotous contrast of relatively restrained verses and madcap punk rock choruses, shot through with manic percussion and exploding into a synthesiser meltdown. It all came to a big sweaty finish, the quality of the gig promising much for the forthcoming album and the band’s future.

Set list: Eagles/ Today-Yesterday/ Entertainment/ If There Are More Of Us Will It Be Better?/ Ulysses In The Supermarket/ Accidents Will Happen/ The Street Under The High Street/ No Revolutions/ Runner Up/ Nancy Garcia

All photos published with kind permission of Bob S. More great pictures at www.underexposed.org.uk

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