British Sea Power

The name Vincent Vincent and the Villains suggests some kind of terrible, nouveau-vaudeville ghoulish barber shop experiment. And at a glance, that’s indeed what Vincent Vincent and the Villains look like – a mess. But after a few minutes of their admittedly exciting set, their mini trumpet-led singalongs come into focus and reveal a band that could merely be out for a few macabre laughs but who are nonetheless entertaining. Well done lads.

I wish I could say the same for Alterkicks, who arrive fresh from the ‘pool with a head of steam after the buzz around their debut single ‘Do Everything I Taught You’. Overwhelmed, diminutive frontman Martin Stilwell keeps his eyes fixed to the ground as the band blast out their set that sounds something like Oasis if they had grown up playing croquet. Lead guitarist Mike Oats is on a planet of his own throughout, doing his best to emulate Johnny Greenwood. The band seem nervous, and the only highlight of their disappointing set comes in ‘Cannibal’, a lovely tongue-in-cheek tale of well, eating your best friend.

The Barfly is an intimate venue to experience British Sea Power, and the small confines, combined with the over-zealous nature of the BSP faithful, make for a terrible rugby scrum for space at the front even before the headliners take the stage. But the pain of jostling is forgotten as soon as the first notes of opener ‘It Ended On An Oily Stage’ are played. The crowd sets into manic fits of dance and idolatry; lead singer Yan has the hard-core contingent fawning over him even before he opens his mouth. British Sea Power’s quality of music far exceeds the national average, and unfortunately so does the girth of their typical punter. So as I try to enjoy new favourites ‘North Hanging Rock’ and ‘How Will I Ever Find My Way Home’, I can’t save my concentration from the tubby, camouflage-adorned wildebeests trying to dislodge me from my place by the stage. All is resolved with set highlight ‘Carrion’, the crowd joining Yan in vocals as guitarist Noble dutifully moulds the swirling noise into something memorable. The material off of the more sedate Open Season blends well with the group’s more edgy older material making for a great setlist that flows beautifully from the restrained ‘To Get To Sleep’ right into boisterous fan-favourite ‘Spirit of St. Louis’.

Tonight British Sea Power play impressively, if somewhat detached. Like a well-oiled machine they expertly roll through their practiced set without incident, never stopping to speak to the crowd. But for their fantastic polish, the band is notably less visceral and daring than usual. Their traditionally crazy antics during ‘Rock in A’ at the gig’s closing are entertaining, but without affect. Though Yan’s orgastic yawps thrill the crowd, they come without his usual crazy-eyed delivery. A great night out indeed, but this certainly feels like a warm-up for things to come.