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Sunday 11th December 2005
The show kicked off with The Flaming Monkeys who are the winners of XFM's Rock School competition. They're all around 13 & were surprisingly good for such mini me rockers! They played just one song - Led Zepplins "Rock & Roll" & did just what the title says!
Next on were the Dead 60's who I'd previously seen supporting Stereophonics earlier this year. Maybe I was in good spirits that day with my generous review but by the end of their set tonight I felt 60 & wanted to be dead. They played what appeared to be the same song for 35 minutes. There were some saving graces in the good couple of singles Riot Radio & Ghostface Killer but on the whole far too samey.
The mood sank even lower when Magnet arrived. Again, I'd seen him before this year supporting Athlete & had been fairly favourable on that review so I don't want to sound like I'm backtracking on myself. Basically he's good at what he does but what he does is boring! It slowed down the pace of the show, wasn't right for tonight & judging by the boo's he later (unnecessarily) recieved when his name was mentioned the crowd agreed. One positive thing was I was so bored I taught myself to predictive text whilst he was on so every cloud & all that!
Time for a smaller band - The Kooks. When I first saw them getting ready for an acoustic set I feared they were Magnet's lovechildren but I needn't have feared. Yes they were acoustic but they had upbeat songs, played well & kept it short & sweet.
Maximo Park were up next. A band I'd seen support the Kaiser Chiefs at this very venue only a couple of months back. I expected another good set & I got one. They decided to play all their album in the order it appears on the album. A great idea & very well received. I won't do any jokes about the band as I exhausted those on the last review! Highlights were the singles Apply Some Pressure & Going Missing.
The next band were one of two reasons I was really here (aside from charity!). Hard-Fi. I love their debut album & after hearing many mixed reviews of their live shows I wanted to see for myself. They didn't disappoint. Hard To Beat, Cash Machine, Living For The Weekend, Tied Up Too Tight - all absolutely brilliant. If he can't normally sing live he managed to pull it off tonight. A great performance.
At this point I was getting a little worried. It was 10.50 & judging by the fact there was at least 15 minutes between bands with talk of a surprise guest in between it meant the Kaisers (my second & most important reason for me being here) wouldn't be on until 11.30 at least. My last tube was 11.50 with last train at 12.15. I just prayed the surprise guest would come on after the Kaisers so I could at least catch some of their set.
No such luck. At 11.05ish Chas & Dave appeared. Yes, Chas & Dave!! I realised there was no point me staying as I wasn't going to see my beloved Kaisers, so I left my friends there(who live a bus ride away) & walked out into the cold night air with Rabbit ringing in my ears!
I wasn't pleased & am amazed organisers let it run so late on a Sunday. Judging by the Chiefs & Chiefettes on the train home I wasn't the only disappointed one!
Still, it was for charity, the rest was pretty good & I am seeing them twice next year!
Marks for bands
The Flaming Monkeys 8 out of 10
Dead 60s 3 out of 10
Magnet 3 out of 10
The Editors 7 out of 10
The Kooks 7 out of 10
Maximo Park 9 out of 10
Hard-Fi 10 out of 10
Kaiser Chiefs (via my friend!) 10 out of 10
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